Caught A Glimpse

Kathy had to spend a few hours in the hospital for a medical procedure, and I spent a little while in the waiting area, scrolling through my phone.

The waiting room was packed, and none of us were waiting to be seen. We were just waiting for an update.

I looked around the room, and saw a bit of grey hair. I thought about how life goes from here on out.

Hospital waiting areas aren’t anyone’s favorite place, and I tried to be patient. 

I’m not a patient man.

Thankfully I’ve been healthy because I have little interest in being in a bed.

I passed a room and saw a man about my age laying there watching ‘The Price is Right’.

He looked absolutely miserable.

And our healthcare system is an abomination. 

I thought about a well-known actor who recently passed away after an illness (I’m too lazy to look up his name), but I remember reading that his family needed a go-fund me to pay for his medical expenses.

This is someone who likely made millions while on television and in the movies.

Died penniless.

That thought didn’t bring me much comfort.

Our visit was quick and all good.

The place was clean, the healthcare professionals were courteous and friendly.

And yet, I mentioned that I couldn’t imagine working in that field.

The practitioner heard me mention it and he told us a few war stories about his worst days.

Which depressed the hell out of me.

I headed to a job site and coincidentally one of the guys mentioned that his mother-in-law was hit by a car and suffered a broken femur, a shattered ankle, and a half dozen fractured ribs.

Poor lady is 77 years old.

“Makes me think I want them to yank the curtain quick,” the guy said.

“Yeah, caught a glimpse,” I said. “I don’t wanna’ hang around hospitals for too long. Sorry about your mother in law.”

“Not as sorry as me,” he said. “Her insurance is giving her shit about rehabbing at a nursing home. She’s coming to live with us.”

“You poor bastard.”

He laughed.

“A mother-in-law who barely ever liked me, hanging around my house in incredible pain. What could possibly go wrong?”