Monday and 4 hours and counting

dI've decided to attempt 4 10's this week. A full 40 hours at the hospital. In order to do this I have to get in early, because I start falling asleep at 445 pm and secondly, it's miserably longer than any normal 10 hours. So, I'm sitting here listening to Pandora Radio, rockin out to Journey and Joan Jett and lazily looking out the window. I actually still have work to do, but can't keep focused.

The other day I primed my pump to head up to the floor to do the crap part of my job. I had worn a nice outfit, slapped my badge on and even applied some lipstick. All papers in order, I take a deep breath and do the "slap, slap, knuckles" with my partner and say "go get em and good luck...meet ya back here in 10". Off I go.
First room....lady sleeping. One down 4 more to go. ( I have a policy of not waking old people).
Room #2 ....tap tap tap...."Mr Young and good looking, may I come in?" No answer, so I do what I have to do and go in.
"Hi, Mr Myagegoodlooking, My name is Myssi. I'm a financial counselor here at the hospital and I came to talk to you about your insurance."
pause...He barely looks at me and starts...
"Where the fuck is my doctor? I want to go home, I don't know what is going on, some jackass who barely spoke English was just here asking for my insurance card ...I all ready gave to some one else...you incomptant idiots! (hey that's redundant asshole) find my doctor, nurse, or I'm leaving"
hmmmm okie dokie.....I see him look at me, finally...I'm standing there with my clipboard,trying to look sympathetic....he looks me up and down, then looks away.
He glances back at me...""Myssi? right?, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I just want to know what's going on...let's start over ok? Go back outside and knock again"
I waited a second for the next round, but decided he was serious, so I turned on my heels, when back out the door, shut it quietly and knocked again.
tap tap tap...
"come in"
"Hi, Mr myagegoodlookingguywhoisnowanassholeinmybook,My name is myssi and I just came to talk to you about your insurance. I wanted to tell you that I know you couldn't speak when you came into the hospital, but I was able to find your insurance information, I have called them and let them know you are here and did all the notification for you...." :)
" Thanks, Myssi.....You guys are pretty persistant around here"
I smile and tell him, I realize it sucks to be in here. My job makes it suck for me to be in here too...But the good thing is...his deductable and out of pocket max has been met and he does not owe us anything for his inpatient hospital stay.
He smiles and says, "I'm really sorry, thanks for letting us start over, your job must be worse than me being here"
I tell him it's not always bad, sometimes I can help...he's one of the lucky people. He has inurance :)

I don't talk alot about what I do for a living. I'm the person who you see on medical shows that comes into the room and tells the patient's family they need to pay a trillion dollars before they can go home. I'm the money collector while you are sick in bed. People say I'm good at it. I care. I help people not be scared when they don't have the money. I find a way to get them help...if possible....it's not always possible.
I'm also the one who walks into the ICU when your family member is on their deathbed and tell you Everything on the financial end. Usually these people call me. They are scared and have no idea how much a bed in the ICU cost (3864$/nght) and what should they do. i take care of it for them. Sometimes they cry, then I cry....then I say here's my card....worry about this (the patient) we can deal with the rest later. Sometimes the person is homeless, or is a street kid. I get them free (charity) insurance, and then make sure they have clean clothes when they leave. I always ask them what size they are....then I head to the closet in my office and pull out whatever I can find in the clothes we have collected and bring them clean stuff, right down to underwear. I try to find clothes that might fit their need and look. it's the least I can do.

When I'm on my way home from my shift that always seems 3 times longer than it is, sometimes I just zone and pout. Life is so unfair for some people. People shouldn't have to wait for their limb to be falling off before they come in to the hospital. They just shouldn't.

Tomorrow is another day and it will be another set of copays I have to collect. I'll have to hear how people can't buy anything for their kids if I take their money, it's holiday time...(so usually I don't take it).

it's just a job right...breathe...someone has to do it...and at least I can finish my day thinking I care, and I'm truley sorry.