Hey there, friends! It’s your girl Tina, back with another episode of “What on Earth Happened at Work?” Grab your coffee (or something stronger—no judgment here), because this story is a doozy. Buckle up, because this weekend was not just typical; it was a wild ride, and I’m here to share it with you.

So it’s the weekend, and while the rest of the world is off frolicking in the sunshine, eating brunch, and pretending to enjoy their family time (you know the type, right?), I’m at work. But not just any workday—oh no! Management decided that it would be hysterical to schedule me to work alone with FOUR different doctors. Yes, you read that right. Four. As in, “Tina, we’re going to see how quickly you can lose your sanity while juggling patients like a circus clown.” 

Imagine walking into the office, and it’s eerily quiet. The kind of quiet that makes you think, “Something’s off here.” Then I check the schedule, and my heart sinks faster than a lead balloon. Three to four patients scheduled at the same time, and me—just little ol’ Tina—left to handle the chaos. Meanwhile, management and staffing are off somewhere, probably with their feet up, laughing like they’re watching a sitcom. I half-expected to see a betting pool on how long it would take for me to crumble.

Now, I’m no rookie. I’ve had my fair share of crazy shifts, but this was next-level. I mean, is it even ethical to have one nurse juggling all that while the rest of the staff enjoys a well-deserved day off? I mean, come on! I tried to call management to clarify if this was a prank, and suddenly, they were all “busy” or “out.” But the moment I mentioned that it might be against union rules, poof! They magically reappeared, like a bad magic trick.

Let’s rewind a bit. I had to call off this week due to some serious chest pains that landed me in the ER—twice! I’m talking about real pain, not just me wanting a day off to binge-watch my favorite show. But of course, management thinks I’m just playing hooky, and I’m sure they were all sitting around, betting on how long it would take before I called off again. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t calling off!

So, there I was, armed with nothing but a stethoscope and sheer determination, ready to tackle the day like a superhero—minus the cape, of course. As the minutes ticked away, I felt like a contestant in a twisted game show. The patients were coming in, and with each one, I could feel the pressure mounting. I’m pretty sure I was sweating like I was in a sauna rather than a healthcare facility.

And let’s not forget those doctors! Each one needed my undivided attention while I was trying not to trip over my own feet. It was like trying to conduct an orchestra without any instruments. I could hear the management snickering in the background, waiting for me to mess up so they could point fingers and say, “See? We told you she couldn’t handle it!” The irony is thick enough to cut with a knife.

As I ran around, trying to remember which patient needed what and when, I could feel my heart racing—partly from the stress and partly from the condition I was just diagnosed with. Fantastic timing, right? I could almost hear the whispers of my coworkers who were conveniently “busy” that day, judging me from the sidelines. It’s like they had front-row seats to a train wreck, and they were all too eager to see how it unfolded.

The best part? Watching my coworkers pretend to be busy while keeping tabs on me. You know, the classic “I’m just stretching my legs” maneuver, which really translates to “I’m here to watch you squirm.” It was like being in a reality show where I was the unwitting star, and everyone else was just waiting for my inevitable breakdown. I could practically hear the commentary in my head: “And here comes Tina, folks! Will she make it through the day without losing her marbles?”

But here’s the kicker: beneath the chaos and the laughter (the kind that pierces through your heart), there’s a deeper story. Each time I felt the weight of their judgment, it wasn’t just my professional skills they were questioning—it was me as a person. They didn’t know the nights I spent awake, my heart racing, not just from worry over my job but from the uncertainty of my health. They didn’t see the tears I shed when I had to call off because I was in so much pain that I could hardly breathe. Instead, they chose to turn my struggles into entertainment, a twisted game where I was the punchline.

I recall moments when I felt like I was drowning, and all I wanted was for someone to reach out and say, “Hey, are you okay?” But instead, I was met with silence, and the only sound was the echo of my footsteps as I hurried from one patient to the next. I often found myself wondering if they even knew how hard I was trying, or if they were too wrapped up in their own narratives to notice.

By the end of my shift, I was exhausted and felt like I had aged a decade. But guess what? I survived! I didn’t call off, I didn’t crumble under pressure, and I definitely didn’t give management the satisfaction of seeing me fail. Instead, I walked out of there with my head held high, knowing that I had conquered the impossible—at least for that day.

So, what’s the moral of the story? Well, aside from the obvious that management can be a bit… shall we say, mischievous? It’s that sometimes you have to stand tall in the face of ridiculousness. And hey, if they want to make a game out of my work life, I’ll just have to show them that the joke’s on them.

But more importantly, it’s a reminder to us all that behind the scrubs, there’s a person with feelings, fears, and dreams. While they might be laughing on the sidelines, I’m here to remind you that we are more than our jobs, more than the chaos, and definitely more than the laughter of those who don’t understand our struggles.

Till next time, stay strong, my friends! And remember, even in the chaos, we can find a little humor, a bit of light, and a lot of love. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to go find a stiff drink and recover from my weekend of woe! Cheers! 🍹