Nurses are Great

Ok, it's been brought to my attention that perhaps the tone of my entries lately have been a bit negative. Well, priding myself on being an acerbic humorist, I'd say that should be no surprise -- that's just my style. However, I suppose I don't want to be completely pessimistic, caustic, and pissed off, so today I'll say a few words about a group of people who I think are unsung heroes within our society -- nurses.

Recently I spent some time in the hospital undergoing Septoplasty day surgery, and I was shocked and dismayed at just how much shit nurses take from miserable medicated patients. I mean, it's bad enough they have to literally clean up puke, pus, shit, blood, and piss almost everyday, but then they also have to fetch food, water, medication, adjust pillows and blankets, answer stupid questions, come running every time someone presses the damn call bell, and then to have to take some 90 old man's verbal abuse while helping him take a diarrheic shit ... that's something akin to sainthood.

Honestly, I don't know how they do it. I know I could never do it -- I'd have kinked up air tubes, unplugged those call bells, and slipped sleeping pills into the meatloaf within the first week. Then I suppose I'd be writing this from prison.

Think about it -- these women actually choose this as a career -- it's not even slave labor. They're not forced into it, and they come to work everyday with a smile and a cheery disposition for the people under their care. They do their best to make people who are scared or in pain to feel better, all while dealing with some of the grossest bodily fluids under the sun.

Pay nurses more, I say. Fuck teachers, brokers, IT guys, or anyone else who figures their job is tougher. Doctors and nurses should be the number 1 and 2 pay grades in our society. Hell, I say if you can combine the gentle healing arts of a nurse and the attire and looks of a Sammy J Peppers waitress, you have what would be perhaps the most valued and important profession on Earth.

So there you are, gentle reader, a positive entry. Mark it on your calendar. Tomorrow, we're back to bile.