Made me laugh

One of the best part of my job is the different types of people I see. I am a mental health nurse practitioner btw. Some of my most favorite patients are the big, tough biker guys.

Which is funny really. Mental health is a place of venerability, a place to tell stuff you never told anyone. There are a lot of breakdowns and break throughs. It's awesome.

So how do I get the big, tough, biker dudes to tell me their pain? How to I make them feel comfortable so they can share stuff? It's actually pretty easy.

I'm a nice person. I extend mercy. I'm not judgemental or easily shocked. I have a poker face if I do become shocked but it doesn't happen that often. Ya see, most human beings hurt in much the same ways. Divorce, booze problems, Mother beat me with a stick, Dad didn't love me, both parents were crackheads, etc etc.

I rarely hear anything new. So this pain they've been carrying, that they bring to me, I welcome this. Once they start telling me, they snot bubble cry and hyperventilate and THAT'S when the healing begins!

After a while they start to really get better. They drink less, they don't fight with the wives so much. Depression lifts and anxiety recedes. Then, they start to include the mental health team in their world. Because for so long, it's been them against the world. And sooner or later, they include us on their team.

Then the visits get fun. We can joke, talk motorcycles, sports or fishing. I know nothing of these things. But I love to learn things so they tell me all about it. Plus, the straight talk is a relief.

So many of my patients are in some sort of existential crisis. Not the biker dudes. These guys just need a good kick in the pants. Someone to tell them to knock it off, grow up a little and go to therapy. They respond to directness. It's good times.

So. What made me laugh this time you ask?

So this one guy I see, he's a big biker dude complete with sleeve tattoos. Has a scowl on his face that seems permanent. But he's been seeing me for about a year. He smiles and jokes in the office now. So we start joking and talking about fishing. Then he mentions that can't fish so much on account of his broken hand.

Last week he punched a wall and hit a stud.

D'OH!

Then I says, "Huh, well, we have a new anger management class coming up . . ."

He replies, "Anger management ain't gonna change the fact that the world is full of dumbasses and I gotta deal with 'em!"

(awesome answer I must say)

I laughed out loud at that one. It was so funny. And for him, so true!

good times, good times!

Gone are the crazy days of yore

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Every day, at work, I talk to women who bring in their lump of coal husbands. These women they say, "FIX HIM!! FIX HIM!!! FIX HIM!!" and I bounce the ball back in his court. Given suggestions here, there and everywhere so he can help himself.

Meanwhile I want to sometimes scream, I want to scream to these women--"Think about what you life could have been if you didn't have this man child, the heavy anchor of a husband. Why did you choose to stay here with him, all crazy and under the thumb this nonsense?" But I don't.

But these women, the wifes/girlfriends of these lumps of coal, I feel for them. I could have very well been one of them. But I didn't. Because I knew that I was NOT GOING TO STRAP ANY MAN TO MY BACK as I climbed the mountain.

Because destiny was calling me . . . and I answered the call . . . and oh what a joy it is ;)



Don't let anyone stop you that claims he loves you.

Take care and have a good weekend all :)

Stop looking at me like I'm nuts

For those that are new (woo HOO 48 followers!!-you guys rock!!)- I have two kids, Pancake, girl, age 8, Mac, boy, age 4. I recently met with their respective teachers for progress reports.

For the girl, we sat at a table and her teacher pulled out a portfolio. She took 15 minutes with us and talked really fast. She explained that Pancake is above average in most every way. And she was kind of staring at me, gauging my reaction. And looking at me like I'm nuts.

The same thing happened with Mac's teacher. Staring, explaining, waiting for me to say something. Again, looking at me like I'm nuts. I think it was the non-reaction that threw her off.

And, really, I didn't react to the news my kids are doing great. I don't really react because I know my kids, I see them take information in, process it and use it in their lives. They are good learners and developmentally doing great. Most importantly, they have big hearts. And really-I expect nothing less. I am so blessed and thankful for this.

Yet there they were, the teachers, staring at me. Like I'm nuts.

Not sure what that was about. But. It's kind of common for people to react to my calmness. Like at work. People react to me because I am a mental health nurse practitioner. Some people act like I have psychic powers and can read their mind. Some people can get all wiggy around me, all nervous.

For example, I was in the lunch room the other day and this new doctor came in. She always carries 3 full tote bags of crap to work. She talks loudly on a cell phone. She is obtuse at baseline. People like that react to people like me.

So she comes into the lunch room and sees me. She starts dropping f bombs and hurries about. It's jarring and violent. She is pushing her energy around. And I am calm because I don't react. Which makes her energy get bigger and the yammering gets louder. But then she leaves and then I can eat in peace.

Not sure what to make of it. But. I can say this. I like being calm. Calm makes the giggles come out easier. It's funner this way. And that's the way I likes it!