Ms. Manners

As a drug rep, I am used to being on the other side of "the system" which is the easy side. Nothing like having a brain injured husband to really help get perspective and enormous empathy for the other side of "the system."
(By "the system" I mean many systems.)

My story:
I had to make another dreaded phone call to a "system" (to keep it simple) about a medical bill for E. Of course after the 45 minute wait, the person on the other end was, well, I'll assume she was having a bad day. I had called directly to the source of this particular system which connected me somewhere in Sacramento. After getting the account pulled up, she was very irritable, obviously (to me) not accustomed to, and unknowingly dealing directly with a patient. After a few questions asked by each of us she very hastily said, "This bill was 4 months after the initial hospital admit (incident) so I need to know how this bill (4 months later) could possibly be related to the initial hospital admit."

My response: "Well, it is definitely related and I would be happy to provide any additional documentation that you might need."

Her response: (after more irritation and questioning) "And just WHO are YOU?"

My response: "I am the wife of the man who had a traumatic brain injury last March and spent the next 4 months in and out of the hospital for brain surgery, multiple surgical procedures, recovery, and in/out patient brain injury rehabilitation. I can assure you, it's all related and this won't be the last bill that I have to call you about. Sorry to inconvenience you." (Sure, the last part was a bit snarky)

Her response: "I am so sorry."

My response: "Me too."

From there we finished our business and I somewhat accomplished what I had set out to do. (I am not sure about her.) I tell this story not as a "woe is me" story or "look, I am such a bitch" story. I tell the story because more than I'd like to admit, I've been the lady just doing her job. Today (and many times this past year) I've been at the other end of the (phone) conversation, the "victim."

Everyone has a story. (including the bitch on the phone)

A long lost friend shared a link today (http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3776/20-Instructions-for-Life-by-The-Dalai-Lama.html) by the Dalai Lama, the last 2 of his 20 instructions for life:

19. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

20. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.



















Sincerely,
Ms. Manners.