The post is late due to a family member being sent to the ER and me waiting there for them. Luckily, inspiration can strike anywhere and there’s always a lesson to be learned when you’re out and about. That made this post a perfect opportunity for a “Things Learned” post. With a bit of luck and good faith, my family member will be better but send out some love to him anyways. And without any further delay…. what I learned today at the ER.

First thing I learned at the ER is there is no such thing as “privacy”. Sure, they put a sheet thin divider that looks just like a simple sheet to shield you from spying eyes… if you’re lucky enough to even be in a room and not sitting in a bed covered up in the hallway. As if it wasn’t enough that the hallways were filled of people in gowns looking completely degraded, I realized very quickly that not only was it possible to see more things than you’d like, you heard everything. It has nothing to do with being nosy, it has everything to do with speaking loud enough that a sheet doesn’t keep the sound in. Yes, I did hear the psych consult, and I fully believe that it was none of my business and I shouldn’t have. At least take them into a private room. They wonder why people dislike hospital, that’s why. I could probably tell you the name and diagnosis and birthday of everyone in that triage area, and I don’t feel comfortable knowing that if it were me, they’d know everything about me too.

There was only one other lesson I learned today, and it’s why I dislike people. This could happen anywhere… and it does: those people that you can’t decide if they are a) illiterate, b) ignorant, or c) just asses. I think this person was all of the above. I was sitting at the bench, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, minding my business. Then a woman from the ER waiting room wheels herself to right in front of me and the nonsmoking sign and proceeds to smoke in my face. In my pregnant state, my temper is very short, and to put me in a position that is harmful not just to me but my fetus, pisses me off. First of all lady, you were sitting in front of a “No smoking sign”, learn to read or not be an ass on your own time. As if this display of inconsideration wasn’t annoying enough, after smoking in my face, she asks me to wheel her back into the ER. If only looks could kill and be legal. She was helped, and I’m not ashamed to admit it wasn’t by me.

I hope this is a lesson out there to my readers and hopefully a hospital staffer or ten. I know you guys are understaffed and overworked and have an overload of people, but something needs to change. I also hope this is a lesson for asses, someday you will get punched for it and it will be deserved.