She’s About To Put Her Foot In It
Bad Behavior, Hospital, Nurses, USA | Healthy | April 26, 2019
(While cleaning a route for climbing, some rocks come loose and hit my foot. I am a few hours from the nearest town, and about six from the nearest hospital. Because the pain is manageable, I just lace my boots up and get a ride to the hospital a few days later. I will admit to looking more than a little scruffy at this point, and bathing hasn’t exactly been a common occurrence over the past few months due to lack of facilities.)
Nurse: “Why are you here today?”
Me: “I think I broke my foot.”
Nurse: “Why do you think that?”
Me: “Around 45 pounds of rocks fell on it a few days back, and I can move one of the bones around.”
Nurse: *rolls her eyes* “Are you sure that’s not just a joint? If you broke something a few days ago, you would have come in a few days ago.”
Me: “Well, it wasn’t really an option because I was two hours outside of [Small, Rural Town] and had to wait to get a ride to here. Plus, it’s really swollen and I don’t think the arch of my foot has a joint in it.”
Nurse: “If you want pain meds, just admit it. I’m not wasting time on a room for you if you’re just looking for pills.”
Me: “I haven’t asked for any medications at all, and I just want an x-ray of my foot.”
Nurse: “No. You clearly want drugs. I’m not wasting time on you anymore. Just leave. Try the methadone clinic across the street.”
Me: “No. I am not leaving until someone actually examines my foot!”
Nurse: *rolls eyes again and motions to the security guard* “Listen, if you won’t leave, we’ll have to escort you out.”
Me: “Just have someone actually look at my foot! I don’t want pills, I don’t want a room; just have an actual doctor look at my d*** foot!”
(The security guard looks at me and the nurse.)
Nurse: “Get her out of here; she’s a junkie.”
Guard: *looking confused* “Has she asked for pills? Or been violent to you? Because I haven’t seen her threaten you, [Nurse]. I don’t see why she needs to leave before seeing a doctor.”
(The nurse stomps away but returns a few minutes later, dragging a doctor by the sleeve.)
Nurse: “See? She claims she broke her foot days ago and just now came in for it. She’s clearly looking for drugs or a place to sleep.”
Doctor: “Have you actually looked at her foot yet, [Nurse]?”
Nurse: “No! She’s gross and clearly faking it! She doesn’t need treatment; she needs a f****** job!”
Doctor: “Let me see your foot, ma’am.”
(I take off my boot and sock. Apparently, one of the bones has moved around; it’s now visibly poking up.)
Doctor: “[Nurse], get out of here. Her foot is clearly broken. Go find something else to do, instead of your asinine crusade against people who you don’t like.”
(I got my foot x-rayed and got a boot for it. I broke it in five places and the doctor said I was lucky to not have caused permanent damage by not getting it set right away. The nurse had to send me an apology letter for her behavior, and I learned to shower and look nicer before going to a hospital!)
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