When I was travelling in Germany in the late ‘80s, I noticed
an interesting cultural thing that people do there. When you ask someone what
they ‘do’, they respond with the thing that they love doing – which isn’t
necessarily their job. For example, a bus driver might answer that he plays the
guitar. A financial analyst might say that he skis. Or paints. Or makes
birdhouses.
It’s possible there was something lost in translation but I
found it quite endearing, listening to people describe what they did in life.
It’s what they want others to know about them – what they love to do. I guess
the trick is to find a way to make a living doing what you love. Most of us are
lucky to make enough at a job so that it funds what we love outside of work.
The Kemptville Live Music Festival was a 1980’s high school
reunion of sorts – the soundtrack of our adolescent years was blasting from the
stage and it seemed as though most of my graduating class had shown up to
witness it live and in colour.
At least Facebook is good for something. It helps you to put
a name to the faces you no longer recognize, thirty years since the last time
you saw them. We drifted around the festival and reconnected and asked each
other what we were doing for work, and in life. One girl told me she finally
has her ‘big girl’ job – working in a seniors’ home as a recreation
coordinator. She said she never imagined she would enjoy working in that
environment, but she does. I told her I believe we need more people who love
working with seniors to actually be in those roles. Seniors’ homes can always
use more quality staff.
For my 50th birthday, my doctor scheduled a list
of tests. Happy Birthday to me. Because of blood sugar issues and heart
palpitations, I needed bloodwork and an ECG. I was also due for a mammogram and
I received a note in the mail saying that if I didn’t pass preliminary testing,
I would also be treated to a colonoscopy. I’m at the age where body parts,
internal organs and systems start to malfunction and misbehave. My doctor
wanted to check me out head to toe. First on the list was a pelvic ultrasound.
I have started a new job downtown Ottawa and I was in the
middle of training, so it wasn’t very convenient for me to be taking time off
for medical appointments. I tried to get two tests booked for the same day but
it just wasn’t possible.
I showed up early for my ultrasound appointment and sat down
gingerly in the waiting room (I’m not sure what ginger has to do with it –
basically I was sitting uncomfortably). I expected to be waiting for the better
part of an hour, as per usual. To my surprise, however, someone popped out to
see me within minutes.
The women working in the diagnostic imaging department at
Kemptville District Hospital were beyond helpful. They must remember what it
feels like to be sitting uncomfortably waiting for these procedures, so they
schedule appointments accordingly and do whatever they can to speed things
along.
As I sat there marvelling that the nurse featured on the
wall poster was actually the same person speaking to me, I saw a note waving in
front of my face. The nurse was pointing to my requisition form.
“I see your doctor also wants you to get a mammogram,” she
pointed out.
“Yeah, I’m getting a complete list of tests, now that I’m
50…”
“Well why don’t we see if we can get at least two of these
done today?” she smiled.
Well I wasn’t expecting that. What a great idea.
When I was in the ultrasound room, the technician worked
quickly and efficiently, so I could be released from my misery as soon as
possible. The mammogram technician was equally awesome, and funny – which seems
to make things easier when you are in such a compromising position. Less than
an hour later I was back in my car headed to work.
It’s so nice to see people who really love their jobs –
particularly when they are working with the public. Linda, Kayla and Jackie are
very good in their respective roles at the hospital, and they make sure things
go as smoothly as they can while you are in their care.
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