This is a tale from the O.R.
For the past fifteen years at two different places I have worked with a gifted, very skilled and very nice transplant surgeon.
There is one drawback...
He takes the Lord's name in vain.
Often! If something doesn't go well, it's 'Jesus!' this and 'Jesus!!!' that. The wrong equipment. A delay. An instrument falls on the floor. Someone is not paying attention. Someone hands him the wrong thing...
I have learned that there are different ways he says it, sometimes it's just gentle annoyance, sometimes it's irritation, sometimes it's anger openly expressed.
I cut him some slack because he has an important job to do, and if that's what it takes for him to do his work, so be it. (I am one of his favorites--sometimes he requests me.)
Well the other day, things were not going well. He had a new nurse first assistant, and although words were flying and he even said the dreaded, end-of-his-rope 'Jesus CHRIST!!!!!' The case ended well and the patient did fabulous.
At the end, he was thanking the team, including the nurse who was scrubbed in and helping him with the surgery. He said her contribution was very important, and helpful to him and he appreciated her skills very much. He also asked her if she had any questions....
Now this is the nurse that calls me Shaynameidel (Yiddish for pretty lady) and I call her Zucchero. She doesn't hold back.
There was a pause in the room as she opened her mouth to speak.
'Well, yes, Doctor, I have one question...' she said, simply, 'Why were you calling me Jesus during the entire case????'
The surgeon burst out with Laughter and didn't stop for about five minutes.
The entire O.R. was laughing too.
Laughter IS the best medicine.
(Unless you have stress incontinence...)
Our new Nurse First Assistant
Aloha and Mahalos,
Namaste,
Reiki Doc
And Laughter!!!
