Emergency Room Vignettes

I had to drive a friend to the emergency room today. She gets migraines that get out of control, and the only way she can get on top of them is to get IV fluids and drugs. So we spent a good chunk of the day waiting in the ER waiting room. It's amazing the things you hear and see there.

--Woman telling everyone who would listen about the fight she was just in. Her opponent got the upper hand and hit her in the head with a "billy club". She told the story to everyone who would listen, and then phoned everyone she could think of to tell them. I kid you not, I don't think she stopped talking until she was released from the ER. I could even hear her inside her treatment room retelling the story to every nurse who came in. One interesting aspect of her story was the street where it happened. Let's just say, that after hearing the street name, I wasn't surprised it happened.

--Young mother with baby who had taken a fall, and needed to be checked out. I"m not sure if it was because she was an inexperienced mother, or if she was just dumb, but she let her son crawl all around the emergency room waiting room floor. Maybe she just doesn't realize how many illnesses walk through those doors....

--Woman waiting to be seen, talking on the phone to her daughter. "Put "......" (dog) on the phone. Hello my darling girl (talking to the dog in a baby voice). How are you doing? I cry every time I see you because I love you so much!" :S

--Same woman waiting to be seen. Man walks up and says, "Aren't you "....."'s sister?" She said yes. He said, "What's he up to these days?" Her: "He gets out soon." Him: "Gets out?" Her: "Yes, he is in prison."

Wow, you see more soap opera fodder in an emergency room than in your neighborhood! :)