Whine Fest and Mornings, Mix with Caution

I would like to share a story I am not proud of at all. Not even sure why really. Maybe because the scenario popped into my head following a particularly trying day at wok. Funny how memories get triggered.

Back to rural NC where I am running 5 medical practices. Each clinic had a different preference as to when we would conduct our staff meetings. This particular group enjoyed breakfast whining, I mean meetings. With leadership comes many responsibilities. You know like making sure that they have frosted freakin cinnamon buns and poppy seed bagels and let’s not forget the hazelnut creamer for their caffeine fix. Yes, we had a few Yankee transplants. So where do I find myself at 6:00 am? You guessed it, the local grocery store.

I knew I was headed for a particularly trying meeting, my mood was not great. Did I mention that I had yet to get my caffeine fix that morning? Sad, but true. There I am at the local chain on a mission. Thankfully, the only other patron in the store is a very pleasant elderly man who is having more fun than one person is entitled to in a grocery store. Happy to be alive at 6:00 am, you know the type. I am in the baked good section, my cart strategically parked so that I can grab what I need, toss it over my shoulder and be on my way. On my second blind pass at the bagels, instead of grabbing a package I capture a wrist. I turn to see Mr. Happy smiling and telling me that he believes I have his bagels.

I snapped it really was not pretty. I don’t even have a justifiable excuse. I was wrong. I admit it. I let go of the package of bagels we were sharing and threw 4 more packages in his cart. He was stunned, gone was the smile. I may have even bumped his cart out of my way in my haste to get out of there and onto my meeting.

Fast forward to our staff meeting. Twelve of us intent on solving the clinic’s problems in between juice, buns, bagels and caffeine. We were right in the middle of critical negotiations regarding what height the Sharps container should be on the wall when there was a loud pounding on the clinic’s door. We opened the door to find a woman exclaiming that her husband was having a heart attack. I panicked. Could it be Mr. Happy? I could not get out to see the patient quick enough. Mercifully, it was not Mr. Happy. I have never been so relieved in all my life.

We were able to stabilize the patient till EMS got there to transport him to the hospital. We were able to agree on the height of the Sharps container. We further established that we would use a red post-it flag for any item needing signatures in charts. We managed to squeak out of our budget a subscription to People magazine for our patients. The cost? No more hazel nut creamer.