Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
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According to social media, the world can be a depressing place. Politics, war, natural disasters, and the state of the economy.
But every now and then you may come across some nuggets of goodness that shine through the dark clouds.
Here are 3 stories that we hope will put a smile on your face.
Two ‘Karens’ verbally abused a receptionist, then it was their turn to see the doctor
That day, I was dropping by my regular clinic to get a refill for my inhaler.
When I arrived, an auntie and her adult son were at the reception desk looking like a dark cloud had settled on their faces.
From what I overheard, they were complaining to the receptionist and a nurse about the wait time and cost of their medication.
I thought it was odd for someone to get so triggered and go off on someone who has no control over their situation.
The receptionist tried to calm them, which only escalated their verbal abuse until she was in tears.
I registered myself and took a seat, not long after a nurse called the auntie and her son into the doctor’s office. The pair were all warm smiles in Dr. Bala’s consulting room.
She asked them point blank what happened with her receptionist and nursing staff. The pair had tried to laugh it off and then failed to justify their actions.
Dr. Suri didn’t mince words: “My staff is part of a team. Respect and courtesy between us and between staff and patients is of the utmost importance. We expect our patients to treat us in kind.”
She calmly stated that they would either apologize to the staff they had verbally abused or they could seek treatment elsewhere.
The elderly couple stormed out of the clinic shouting, “I’ve never been treated like this my whole life!”
Moral of the story: Don’t piss off healthcare workers, especially if they have kepoh-chi writer relatives who will broadcast your story all over the internet.
An intern was in the hospital due to a road accident; here’s what her boss did
I was in the hospital for surgery. I just had my tonsils removed and was going stir-crazy in my room, so I decided to stretch my muscles around the ward.
As I was pacing along the corridor, I passed by a room across the hall with a woman inside. She was laid out on the bed with a cast on one of her legs.
She had a visitor, a white guy, and they were talking quietly.
I didn’t stop to listen, as it was none of my business. I decided to go get something to drink from the Starbucks in the lobby.
Walking back to my room, I walked past the same room as before, except that the young lady was now alone, a letter in one hand, and she was crying.
Against my better judgement, I decided to check in on her.
I knocked gently on the door.
“Hey, are you okay?”
She smiled at me through the tears and said that everything was fine.
“You sure? You’re crying.”
She laughed, and I realized that maybe I did have the wrong end of things.
She explained that she was a uni student and was currently doing an internship. Although her student insurance had covered most of her hospital bills, she had been absent from work for a whole month.
By the time she gets out she will have missed out on her entire 3-months internship.
She told me the man who visited her earlier was her boss. “I thought he came to fire me.” she said, still in tears.
She was, after all, a hospitalised intern. What business wants to deal with that, right? Especially since she’d miss the last month of her 3-month internship.
Then, wordlessly, she showed me the letter he gave her. It was the exact opposite: a confirmation letter from her company.
Her boss had come over to inform her that she will be joining the company on a full-time basis when she recovers, along with full medical benefits and hospital coverage.
The letter was also backdated to the day of her accident, which means her employee benefits were already active and she could take advantage of them before returning to work.
Good bosses do still exist after all.
The Nurse with the voice of an Angel who sang me to sleep
It was just after a night of drinks with my friends at Sunway Geo and we were heading towards the BRT when I got hit by a motorist.
It was a pretty bad accident, all things considered. I couldn’t recall exactly how it happened, but it was a hit and run, and luckily the incident was right across the street from Sunway Medical Centre.
Some good Samaritans and a security guard brought me to A&E. I was in a lot of pain and anxiety, so I couldn’t remember what they looked like, but one person made all the difference: The Nurse.
She was really young, probably in her twenties. I don’t think she was much older than me, actually – I’m 23 – but I remember her giving me medicines through the IV.
She stayed with me, just sat with me, and explained things to me: What medicines, what tests, and she introduced the doctor treating me. She was patient and compassionate and made sure I was calm and comfortable.
I tried to relax and settle in for the night, but despite the painkillers, I couldn’t fall asleep.
Then she did the last thing I expected: She started singing a lullaby in Malay.
She said it was something her mother used to sing to her when she was sick. But she sang it softly, and I relaxed and drifted off to sleep.
At that moment, her singing meant everything to me. The fear and pain just vanished as she made me feel safe and comforted.
She went above and beyond what was required of her as a nurse to ensure I was okay. I am forever grateful for that simple lullaby. It made a huge difference in my life that day.
I woke up 3 days later in a ward on the second floor. I never saw the nurse again.
Regardless, she will always have a special place in my heart.
Good doctors, nurses, and just good people still exist in the world, and their actions speak louder than words. Here’s hoping your day is a little bit brighter now.
Do you have a heartwarming story? Email us at hello@inreallife.my
For more stories like this, read: https://inreallife.my/volunteering-at-the-old-folks-home-they-just-want-someone-to-talk-to-as-they-go-through-the-last-phase-of-their-life/
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