Prompt Admission

Continue to take personal inventory and, when wrong, promptly admit it. This is kind of a quote from the Big Book, "Alcoholics Anonymous", and it is suggested that people in the recovery program ETA follow it, too. Dang. Okay, here's what happened:

The doctor ordered some lab work that requires nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours before they draw the blood for testing. I have a medical condition that requires blood tests about 4 times a year. I'm ticked off I have this health issue in the first place; the tests are just a reminder so I don't like them either. And I don't like to start the day starving and dying of thirst. Still, I have to do it. Sigh... Well today is as good as any other day, so why not get it over with?

I get to the clinic 10 minutes after they open and they tell me to wait. I am an American - I don't like waiting. I look around the waiting room and see magazines scattered all over. I look into the reception area and see people sitting around. There are already 3 items on my inventory of the clinic and I haven't been there 5 minutes. Honey, I'm skilled at taking inventories.

The lab calls me back and then can't find me in the system (#4 of inventory)so the guy needs all my ID and insurance cards (#5) then takes FOREVER to type it all into the computer! (#6.) I ask if we can draw the blood and do the paperwork afterwards, maybe over coffee? No. How about over tepid water...

This guy needs someone to type for him or ought to take a class to improve his speed (#7). He asks if I work. I tell him I get to stay home all day, everyday. He says, "I don't understand what that means (#8), so he has no sense of humor (#9 & 10. This is almost unforgivable).

I wander down the hall to the bathroom to rinse my mouth because my tongue and teeth are sticking together from lack of moisture, making it difficult to talk and the bathroom floor has trash on it! (#11) This is a medical facility! Where is the Board of Health?!?

Getting back to the stick room, Mr. Flat Affect tells me it's going to cost a lot more than last time and how do I want to pay for it? (I'm going to need 2 inventories - one for the clinic and one for the personnel inventory.) Payment being decided, he goes back to typing and I go back to criticizing. There is torn paper hanging out of the supply cabinet so I go over to fix it and he tells me I'm not allowed in the cabinets. He told me no. This is not going to go well. He rolls his eyes and says, "Can't you just wait a moment? Good night!"

You have probably guessed that my spiritual connection has suffered by this point. I respond, with love and tolerance, "Oh gee, I hope not! Morning isn't even over yet and I've been with you way too long already." Then I politely mention how neglected the waiting and bath rooms are and perhaps the people sitting, talking and laughing could address these issues? He mumbled something I didn't quite catch, but I'm sure he was thanking me.

Sitting back down, I roll up my sleeve and begin drumming my fingernails on the counter top. Everyone knows how this helps diffuse tension. Done with the computer, at last he turns and asks which arm I'd like him to stick for the test. "Obviously, the arm that is exposed." Is my loving reply.

Finished, at last we find common ground. We both state how we hope to never see each other again. I pause at the reception desk on my way out to comment on the overlooked housekeeping tasks and at last I'm in my car, where something to drink has been waiting for me and I zoom away.

Arriving home, I call the clinic and ask for the lab technician. When he answers, I tell him that my behavior was awful and I apologize for being a shrew. I say that I was wrong and ask his forgiveness. He says it's no problem and I thank him for being gracious.

I sure didn't take the old HP with me into the clinic, but He was waiting for me in the car. I had barely fastened my seat belt before He whispered, "When you are wrong, promptly admit it and make amends quickly for the harms you have done others."

Here I'd done such a fine job on the earlier inventories and the only one the old HP wanted was the personal inventory on my own behavior. Well, sheet. I think I knew that...

Have a good and sober day.