Working with people

As a physical therapist, one of the blessings and curses of my job is dealing with a wide variety of people.  I have never been much of a people person and frankly before choosing this profession I never considered the fact I would have to interact with some many people on a daily basis.  By the time I figured out that I would have to work with real, live people, it was a little late.  That being said, the people are what make the job interesting.  I never know who I will meet the next day and I also get the opportunity of working closely with my patients for a few times a week for a month or two.  Here are a few funny experiences I have had with patients.

I had an elderly lady with a great British accent.  It was just fun to listen to her speak.  Of course she had trouble hearing so I would have to almost yell back (I have a heard time speaking loudly.)  She has three little dogs named Whiskey, Scotch, and Tequila.  (I will refrain from getting on my soap box about small dogs being a fall risk for older patients with balance problems). 

One patient asked me if we have a woodshed out back where we send the patients who just don't have much of a chance of recovery to put them out of their misery like horses with bum legs.

I had another patient with a shoulder injury do an exercise where he was to toss a ball at a trampoline and catch it again.  I failed to consider that this patient was left handed and it was his right shoulder that was injured.  Trustingly, he tossed the weighted ball at the trampoline with his right hand and when it came right back at him he couldn't catch it with his non-dominate hand and it almost smacked him right in the face.  We didn't do that exercise again but I got a good laugh out of it.

I am working with a patient who is having knee pain.  He served in the military for several years all over the world, but primarily in Asia.  To express his pain when we are working on bending his knee or something else that is fairly uncomfortable he start uttering phrases in Japanese, Korean, or Chinese.  He doesn't really realize he is doing this and isn't sure what the phrases are-- just bits and pieces he picked up over the years- but it always catches me by surprise.

It's always interesting to hear how patients try to relieve their pain themselves.  One patient who recently had shoulder surgery uses a heating pad to help with soreness.  He decided it would be even more relaxing for his sore muscles if he laid in a tanning bed awhile.  I don't know if it helped his shoulder that much but he increased his pain with getting a sunburn all over his body. 

I get the opportunity to work with some "interesting" people.  For the most part I get a kick out of the people I work with and most days it is pretty entertaining.  Working in a service industry  where I interact with a diverse crowd everyday it is good to always remember that everyone I meet was made in God's image.  I'm glad God was had a sense of creativity.  Omnia Vincit Amor.