And you got fat--a rant

I had to work today since I had that vocational rehab meeting the other day. I figured I'd pop in and out of one building without seeing anyone, but that wasn't to be.

There is a SEVERE shortage of therapists in this part of the US, especially of those specializing in geriatrics. If you want a career with seemingly endless job security (literally I have been in two situations where companies refused to fire people doing really wrong things because they couldn't replace them), become an occupational or speech therapist. Physical therapists are in high demand too, but less so than OTs and STs. For proof, remember that I was able to get a new job totally wrapped up in less than one week from deciding to quit my last one, and I was offered much more money than I used to make without negotiating, much better benefits, and a large sign-on bonus.

All those things are positives, and I love what I do. However, it means putting up with some really obnoxious people sometimes. Today I ran into one from my past. She's a speech therapist and she shares a first name with me. That wouldn't be bad except that there was an instance where a patient complained about HER and I got in trouble until I went to talk to the patient and calm her down and she explained she meant the OTHER Just Me. Oh.......It made me look fabulous.

I knew she was at my facility 3 days a week, but hadn't seen her. I had, however, heard at least one story of how she had made the nursing assistants mad. That is NEVER a good idea.

So today I literally ran smack into her, and she instantly recognized me and we were polite for a few minutes. Then I was reading my patient's chart and mumbled (I guess louder than I meant) "like THAT'S gonna work" because a treatment ordered was just a joke for this non-compliant patient. Anyway, she laughed at that, and then looked at me and said as loud as she could (so all nurses, psychologists, patients, families, etc around could hear) "You are absolutely not old enough to be doing this".

Now, I look young. I look about 12 years younger than I am based on people's average guesses. I still occasionally have someone guess I'm a teenager. I pretty much can't help this; I just have a small frame that combines with things like curly hair and a fair complexion to make me look younger. I wear scrubs, it's not like you can do much with that to change how you look.

I'm ok with being told I look young, being asked about it, having my experience/knowledge/ability to know anything about life questioned, but this woman knew me THREE YEARS AGO. So really, the time for this comment was then. Or not in public.

I have 6 very hard earned years of experience. I remember how awful it felt to say I had only one week of experience, and I cherish the knowledge experience has brought. But I don't see exactly why it's necessary to use how I look to put me down in front of others, others who really have not had time to form opinions of me.

I so wish I had nerve to tell her she got fat. She did......Sometimes, and only for brief moments, I miss the manic periods back before I was on enough medication when I would get angry and say anything that came to mind.