Excuses aside - what a rough day today. I will preface this by saying - Please be grateful and thankful for the life you were given because others are not as fortunate as you may be. I know this may seem like such an easy concept, but sometimes we are so caught up in our own lives and personal "dramas" (which really - how often do we make a bigger deal of something than it actually is? - I can say, I am extremely guilty of that.) that we forget about how great we really may have it.
My brother, Matt and I went to the hospital in Elmhurst to refill a prescription of his - because he does not have medical insurance he needs to take extra steps and go further to get his medication than the average bear. His doctor can't see him for a couple weeks-his medication ends in 2 days- this was the only option for him. I decided to go with him because, first, he was told "be prepared to wait all day." Second, and more importantly, I know that if roles were reversed, he would come with me in a heartbeat - without me even asking if he would mind.
I am not one for hospitals - I know I am not alone and it would be far fetched to say many if any enjoy being at a hospital. I actually freak out a bit and get extremely uncomfortable. I am the type of person, where, if I am not comfortable some where, I practically turn into a turtle and hide in a shell. To make matters even worse we had to go to the psychiatric emergency room for the medication. Walking it was different for me because its under 2 doors of lock and key and before you can make it into the second door the patient needs to take off their shoes, belts, and give all of their belongings away. It seems over the top and way to cautious for someone who just needs a prescription, but I started to understand very quickly that this was going to be nothing of a normal experience. One of the doctors told me this was nothing and in Long Island and some other places you actually have to take off all of your clothes and sit and wait in a gown - I was shocked beyond belief and singing praises that I wouldn't have to see my brother go through that - again just for a prescription.
So we finally get through the second locked door and that's when nothing was normal anymore. The waiting room is actually the same room that the psychiatric patients, who stay overnight and for days, lounge and watch TV. Not two minutes after we get in there - this lady starts coming over and yelling at me. This ended up continuing the whole duration of our stay at this place - FOUR HOURS. The lady, named Olga, had to be yelled at numerous times by the staff workers to leave me and my brother alone. Another guy who was a patient would walk over to me, stare at me, and then go back to his seat - this happened quite a few times as well. Olga and this other woman's pants kept falling down and the men would yell at them to pick their pants up. I overheard one of the patients say that in the morning the other lady actually came out completely naked. I tried the whole time not to make eye contact and just stared at the TV and talked to Matt the whole time. Not because I was, so much, scared - but because I was uncomfortable and knew that eye contact could possibly trigger more of a reaction from the patients.
It was painful to be there and watch these people go about, what has become, their daily lives. Being there for four hours did not help the situation - have you ever been antsy to the point it drives you crazy -- imagine it lasting for that long.
I have to give Matt so much credit because he did not complain once. I was at the point of no return and he was just cool as a cucumber waiting for the doctor. It wasn't until we left that he said how terrible the experience was for him as well.
I think what was hardest about the situation Matt and I were in, was having to sit there for that long in extremely close quarters with these people and not be able to do something - anything. You wish you could somehow help, but you just can't. There is absolutely nothing you can do to either change the situation or make it better.
Today was an extremely humbling and life changing experience. This is a day that I, and I think I can safely say, my brother will never forget for as long as we are alive. I am blessed to have people in my life who care about me and that I could count on to help and take care of me in whatever situation God hands me. Unfortunately, not every person has that and not every person was given a healthy life, and some do not value their life enough to keep themselves healthy and out of trouble.
Please vow to let those you love and who are close to you know that you are there for them. It really is true that it is the little things that count. A simple hug, a smile, asking how someone's day was, or just lending an ear can change someones mood, day, or life.
Enjoy the quote!
"Don't ever pass up a chance to tell someone how you feel. Your feelings are never anything to be ashamed of and time is something you can never get back." - Me
…I'm just sayin..
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