The Gift

Today I was given a special gift. It started yesterday. I received a transferred call from another department who wanted me to help the caller. A lady had a friend (60 years old) who she felt needed to be seen by a doctor but he didn't want to come since he did not have any money. His legs were swollen, his toes were blue, his legs were in constant pain, he was having difficulty breathing, and he just didn't care if he lived or died. His father didn't know what to do with him. My thought was to transfer to another department so they could help them find a doctor. But then she said the magic words. "I just don't think God would want him to be like this." As much as I think about Jesus's words and "the least of these my brethren," I don't seem to do much. This was, like, plopped in my lap.

At the hospital we have a financial assistance program which is income based. The Sisters want us to collect from those who can pay and to give services to those who can't pay. I shared that option with her. While I was very busy, part of my job is to take care of this. So I listened and tried to get her to understand I could not make her friend come to the hospital. But if he did come, my staff would make sure he had information on how to help him pay the bill.

An hour later I had visitors. The friend and his father had come in and had my name and number. Great. What can I do about this? They were very confused about what to do. I had mixed feelings as I had to get back to work, but I couldn't pass it off. "I don't think God would want him to be like this." So I had to change my attitude. And it really was part of my job.

I found a wheelchair for the son and pushed him sloooowwwwly (father was very slow in walking, but at least he could walk) down to the emergency room. "Alex will help you see a doctor and give you some information to fill out for financial assistance. You have my number so feel free to call me if you need something."

Now to today. The Gift. As I walked through the halls I saw the father coming out of the elevator. I walked up to him and asked how his son was doing. He teared up. He said he is doing very well now. He grabbed my hand and looked me in the eye and said "Thank you. The doctor said if we had not come up here within a day or so he would have died." It turns out they gave the son medication that got 16 pounds of fluid out of his body. He could now move around easily. The father held on to me halfway down the hall.

I was stunned. I know my work is important. Or they wouldn't pay me to be here. I know I help the hospital collect the money due it which keeps the staff paid. But I've always wanted to feel that personal success. Now here it was. I may have actually saved a life without going to medical school.

The Gift was for me. I now want to see one success translate to more.

Update

Yesterday I received a voicemail from the friend. She was thankful that there was an organization like us in our city that "didn't feel too proud to help someone in need." She felt we were angels and wanted permission to use my name when she writes to President Obama. Well, I just feel very pleased to have been in the right place at the right time and was prompted to do the right thing.

What Do You Do?

It is one of the first questions we ask a person we meet for the first time. Someone about whom we know absolutely nothing, except possibly the fact that we both know the person who has just introduced us. Of all the information about which we should be curious, we want to know what they do. Sort of like, if your house was on fire, what one thing would you grab to take out?

Why is this? Discrimination. Legal, of course. We are taking a piece of information and building a picture of who that person is.

The other day while listening to the Kim Komando computer show a caller was asked what she did. Her reply was that she was a movie star. Kim asked, "Really?" The caller answered, "No, but when I give that answer people find me so much more interesting."

Discrimination has been given a bad rap because of how people are treated as a result of the picture the discriminator develops. It's conclusions are used as a basis for unwarranted actions irrespectve of individual differences.

It is often bad, but it can be a help as well. It can raise our antanae to see things of which we would have otherwise been aware. Realizing someone looks hispanic might make a person more sensitive to language barriers or other possible cultural sensitivities.

But back to the original question, "What do you do?" What tends to happen when the response we hear is "movie star" or "I work at the QuickMart." I'm thinking it is easy to build a picture that defines the value of the person that does not enlighten us to the individual. In his book The Godfather Papers, Mario Puzo speaks with some disdain about how his mom's ambition for his life was to be a ticket taker for the railroad. His implied conclusion is that the world is better for the fact that he became a writer instead.

Is this the best way to gather information about a person? What if instead we asked "What are you like?" or "what interests do you have?" OK, it might take some courage to try this. Maybe it would be a bit to close for comfort to someone who doesn't know you and doesn't yet know if they want you to know much about them. But answers might be more representative of the person.

I think I'll try it. I'll let you know if I become enlightened or are punched in the nose. If they hit me, at least I'll know they are not Amish.