2.01.2008

Scenes From Radiotherapy:

This couple comes into the waiting area, with the woman sitting on my left and the man sitting in a chair to my right. I don't know which one is the patient and which one reeks of smoke, but smelling that smell, especially here, makes me want to jump out of my skin and scream "what the fuck are you doing?!"



They should really keep hugely pregnant nurses separated from those of us whose treatment is frying our babymaker.



This is the last place you want to run into someone you know.

4 comments:

Megan said...

Ugh. I know what you mean about the pregnant nurses. I know those nurses aren't *trying* to ruin my day, but they do a pretty good job anyway.

And they have the audacity to call themselves health care workers. Hrumph.

Anonymous said...

Imagine being that nurse taking care of a patient who just lost her pregnancy in a car crash. I managed to switch the assignment but felt so guilty for being pregnant and not being able to console her and take care of her the way I felt she deserved. Trust me -that nurse has an idea about the way you feel.
Jen

Megan said...

Sorry - I realize that comment sounded way more snarky than I meant it. The nurses who took care of me throughout the surgery, chemo, etc were all superstars. I would never have made it through without them and I know that they are aware of what I'm going through. I'm just still having a really hard time with the fact that I got that all snatched away from me before I could make good use of it. Please try not to take my bitter lamenting personally. I'm just still trying to sort through my s**t.

Sugarmouth O'Riordan said...

I don't know, I think we're allowed to be bitter. While I agree--nothing beats an uber-competent nurse that has your back, we don't get to switch assignments. We're never off cancer duty. Even when it's been cut out, burned away, and chased down with chemo, it'll never be that far from our minds.

There is strength in our bitterness. I'm not giving that up.

Nothing personal, of course, Jen.