The regulars.
Some are because they have to be, and we really don't mind.
Some are, but really don't mean to be, and we treat them just the same.
And some are, because they just don't know what else to be, and sometimes, despite my best efforts, they do my head in.
Remember this one, the one I complained about? This is the one about whom I regularly think that I'd be glad never to see them again. They'd never been violent or aggressive, but just difficult, obnoxious and regularly lied, and I always worried that they would catch me out with the "boy who cried wolf" syndrome.
Well, I hadn't seen them since, and I remembered musing at the time about the fact that they may not survive the winter, their stubbornness and reliance on alcohol being their major downfall. I happened to have a conversation with one of the receptionists at our local hospital, who also hadn't seen them for ages. There was another crew there at the time, from a different area.
"You talking about such and such? Looks like this, talks like that, smells like something else?""Yeah! That's them! You've met them too?"
"Yup. Took them into FarAway hospital only last week!"
I breathed a sigh of relief at the news that they're still alive.
I must be going soft.
3 comments:
Sure it wasn't just relief that they have moved "patch" and are likely to become someone else's "regular" ;-)
I don't mind regulars (to a point) when they are freindly and stress free, especially the walk on walk off (wowo) type's, even though I am conscious of them blocking an ambulance from doing "proper jobs". But considering how litte of our work seems to be "proper jobs" (well, us mear mortals anyway!) then I'd rather have a no-nonsence regular wowo than a pain in the butt 19st unconscious drunk that I'm gonna have to lift! I think the only time regulars bug me is when I hear a GB for a proper sick patient when I'm dealing with them. Clearly abusive, rude, "you must carry / lift me" regulars I am less happy to accomodate!
That said, it does say something about the lack of apropriate care, education, help available in society that we have such regular patients. Surely, proper support, education, GP / District Nurse etc input would help these patients more (and the tax payer!) than constantly going to sit in A+E for 4 hours (or longer when the target vanishes!)? Ho hum. On we plod...
Sometimes it is this type of "regular" that I worry about the most. Not because of any medical condition, but because there are people who seem to end up on the wrong side of something, and in situations that they can't get out of. Once they are in that "system," they are often treated so poorly by EVERYONE, that they can't see any path to life being better, and get emotionally beat down everywhere they turn.
Especially if there are any underlying mental health issues.
Yes, it's frustrating that such people get free ambulance rides and free health care and I don't, and that they sometimes act like they feel entitled to all sorts of things that others pay for, but I can't help but also see that overall, their lives generally leave much to be desired as far as any feelings of personal satisfaction, or "happiness" or accomplishment.
I sure wouldn't want to trade.
You have gone soft mate.
but then you have always had that gentle side to you. I wonder if that is what makes your blog so good.
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