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The Worst Thing My Doctor Told Me

The Worst Thing My Doctor Told Me

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Nurses Explain How Patients Can Best Show Their Appreciation To Them

Nurses Explain How Patients Can Best Show Their Appreciation To Them
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If you've spent any time in hospitals you understand that when it comes to one on one time with the patients, it's the nurses who do the bulk of the work - and it can absolutely be a thankless job. Working in the medical community can be draining, physically, emotionally and mentally.

That being said, a little bit of appreciation goes a long way. But how, exactly, do you thank your nurses when their shifts rotate so quickly and you never really know who is going to be on staff when?


Reddit user PossibleDogNapping asked:

Nurses of Reddit, what's something a patient can do for you to show how much they appreciate you?

Turns out there are quite a few ways, but it pretty much boils down to snacks and a thank you note. If that's all it takes, then nurses really must not get thanked anywhere near enough. So allow us to take this moment to say THANK YOU - from anyone who has ever been a patient to anyone who has ever provided treatment.

We appreciate you.

Thriving

Most places have comment cards or a mechanism for feedback - i'd do that as well as flowers/candy/donuts/etc. Those compliments go up to the managers and are considered in decisions about promotions and funding. At least for my place of work, compliments go in your 'permanent file'. Also be sure to visit later! The work can get you really down, but seeing someone who's thriving is just the best.

- emr2193

Notes

I am not a nurse, but I used to work in a hospital with 18 nurses as my coworkers. I can tell you the one thing that made people cry was handwritten notes of thanks. I saw at least 3 people (one of them a big, burly, heterosexual, father of 2) cry because of notes patients or their families sent because they were so heartfelt.

You can also send donuts or pastries or whatever, those are always a hit. As long as the gift/food is addressed to the whole office, there's no ethical qualms about accepting it as a gift. The note can be addressed to just one person if you want.

- tbitim

The Manager

Giphy

Tell their manager, please, please tell their manager. Or write a letter. Someone doing their job well can often go unnoticed by management and in my experience, nurses suck at giving positive feedback. Our job is hard and it would be nice to be professionally recognized now and then.

- everyday_degenerate

Patience From The Patients

As a tech and a nursing student, a big thing to show appreciation is just show understanding that they have other patients. If you need something (Tylenol or Dilaudid) it may take awhile. We also hear your complaints but they can't always be taken care of (ex. Clear liquid diets).

- 15jackets

Ice Cream

When my daughter's were born, I brought a gallon of ice cream for the nursing staff from an amazing ice cream stand.

Walked off the elevator to the nurses station... May I help you? Yes, could you help me eat this, pulling out 2 half gallons. Eyes grew WIDE as did the smile. I'm going to see (wife's name) down the hall.

Wife and baby basically wanted for nothing while they were there.

- larz_6446

Taking Names

I took names. The woman who raced me into ER, the nurse, every technician, even those folks dressed in red (yes, the phlebotomists actually wore red). It was exactly 27 people in all. But I was scared and they were actually helping me and I wanted to know their names.

For 3 days they worked to save my life. And when I got home I wrote a 2-page, single space, 11-size-font-Calibri letter. I itemized every single person and what each did for me, addressed it to the ER and the 6th floor of the hospital and mailed it.


When I returned again, this time for life-saving surgery, I again took names - I intend to send the floor some donuts at shift changes and some personal cards. While I was post-op, someone from admin came to check on me and see if there was anything she could do. Some sort of case manager. I told her I was great (relative to being dead that is!), but I had written a letter and really wanted to be sure it went to the right place, that someone had read it.

She returned the next day to tell me that she'd 'found' the letter - it had moved through the hospital and into the Leadership's Hands and was read aloud at a meeting; and they intended on blowing up the letter and placing it in the break rooms for nurses, doctors, etc. Sometimes, I think just stopping and taking the time to write it out, to really be specific about what their care meant, might be the most meaningful. I'll never forget them, and I told them that.

- w0rdg1rl

Standing Up To The Family

Just be nice to me, I know you might feel like crap or are going through a lot but I'm working hard to help you get better. Stand up to those family members of yours who are awful because they feel they need to look like they are doing something for you. A smile from my patient is worth more than anything else.

- happy_misery

Thanks

In the words of my mom who is a nurse

"Please don't die, thanks."

- Kevin24701

Notes & Snacks

As a nurse, I love notes! I put them in my portfolio and pull them out after a long day. And hugs! But gift wise, we love being able to share candies/snacks with our unit or pods.

But truly, nothing beats a handwritten or personal note ♥️

- dangerouslows

Trust

Basic manners. Saying please and thank you. Also, trust your healthcare team over WebMD or your mom's group on Facebook.

- sososjov

Ticky-Box Worshipping Sniglets

Chocolates, pizza, cookies are all lovely and we (at least my coworkers and I) appreciate them greatly. But this is a massively difficult job that is frequently supervised by petty, ticky-box worshipping, sniglets who care much more about the paperwork.

SO please, if we did a good job, made you or a loved ones life better, more comfortable, or maybe even saved a life - tell our bosses.

- jsm1031

From An ER RN

From an ER RN:

Be kind. The ER is busy, yet a lot of waiting (for results, orders and meds to cross over, for an eval) happens. We're not ignoring you.

Not getting angry when you're discharged without a clear diagnosis. The ER evaluates and treats life-threatening conditions and ensures stable patients can receive outpatient treatment; if you're one of the stable patients, be thankful and follow up as recommended.

- moxious9

Notes v. Food

If there is a nurse or two who has made an extra impression on you, go ahead and write an individual note. I have received three of those in ten years of nursing and you better believe I saved them. It means a lot to know you make that much of a difference, especially when you are feeling stressed and frustrated at times.

Food is nice but it's gone in 5 minutes and people who aren't on shift won't get to share.

- tacotirsdag

Pizza Buys Our Love

Giphy

Food. Many floors/units are so busy and chronically understaffed (by design because profits are more important than patients regardless of what bullshit a CEO spouts about patient safety being the #1 priority) that the staff typically have just minutes to grab food or drink in a 12 hours day. Pizza buys our love.

- Lupercus1

Be Advocates

Tell them. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Nurses go through so much more than what people assume. Expressing your appreciation in words may seem minor, but to them it means the world. In a cruel world, it's gratefulness like that, that reminds them why they chose that profession and makes their job a bit easier to do.


Also, this does not apply to everybody. This is more a personal opinion. Violence against nurses (and health care workers in general) is a growing problem in many parts of the world. If you really want to show appreciation, advocate for them when they are being pushed around. A coworker of mine died from an attack from a patients family member. No one batted an eye when we spoke up about this growing problem. Violence is not part of our job.

- HannyBee2104

nurse

Men Who've Gotten A Vasectomy Share Their Experiences

Reddit user GaleNotTheWind asked: 'Men of Reddit who have gotten a vasectomy, what was your experience?'

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Markus Winkler/Unsplash

According to the Cleveland Clinic, over 50 million men have had a vasectomy.

Although avoiding sexual intercourse is the only effective way to avoid pregnancy, the male birth control procedure still has a low failure rate.

Those who are apprehensive about having a vasectomy fear the following: pain, impact on sex life, effectiveness, and side effects like cancer. (The National Cancer Institute and the American Urological Association have found that the procedure does not increase the risk of prostate cancer).

To seek some reassurance, Redditor GaleNotTheWind asked:

"Men of Reddit who have gotten a vasectomy, what was your experience?"

Guys discuss what happened after the snipping.

Making Sure

"For the love of God, do the follow-up appointment. The last thing you want is to be accidentally playing with a loaded gun."

– sleepypanda59

Wise To Wait

"The paper work I got for mine which was done less than 2 weeks ago said that you could have sex 2-3 days after but... definitely said to wait another few days."

– SisterPhister666

Follow Post-Surgical Procedures Or Else

"Had it done twice while living in Japan no less. Why twice? The first one failed."

"... apparently, so did the second (says my now 6 year old daughter)."

– shoelessmarcelshell

These men found that the procedure itself wasn't a big deal.

Assurance

"I was super anxious, but I had a great procedure. I was more freaked out about the shot of numbing agent to the balls, but it was legit nothing to worry about."

– Reddit

Normal In No Time

"Little operation, blue balls and no wanking for a week, then back to normal but without getting anyone pregnant."

– Bright_Composer_3901

"Made the mistake of having a pop after a couple of days. Jesus, the regret."

– Alante

Best Money Ever Spent

"When I woke up after the anesthesia - yes I asked to be put under, best $55 (after insurance) I ever spent - the caffeine headache I had upon waking was the most painful part. The preoperative instructions were nothing but water the evening before, no water for 4 hours before going under. The Safeway brand cola that the angel aftercare nurse brought me was pure refreshment."

– HarrumphingDuck

Cherry On Top

"Local anesthesia stings for a second or two then all you can feel is tugging after all is done the pain I would describe is like blue balls for like 2 days tops. I took a week off work recommend by doctor since I’m a construction worker and the heavy lifting but I felt like after day 3 I was good to go. Cons: minor pain discomfort, no hanky panky until last semen sample came out clear. Pros: , no unplanned pregnancies(it’s still possible very rarely)."

– Secure_Requirement84

Some final thoughts.

Only Pros

"To me, the only bad part was the smell of the cauterization of my vas deferens.. the procedure was fine. Local anesthesia before and during just felt slight tugging no pain. Recovery was easy. No pain. No cons. Only pros. And if absolutely need be it’s reversible. Much easier and less invasive than a woman getting her tubes tied and significantly less harmful than birth control. I’m an advocate. Get it done!"

– PunchARacist

One Unsettling Thing

"For me, it wasn’t the smell but watching the little puffs of smoke during the cauterization. That was truly and deeply unsettling."

"Otherwise, yeah, nothing major to report. Stayed in bed for a day watching old horror movies and assembling a Lego plant. Pretty much business as usual after that."

– GuestCartographer

The One Constant

"Got a vasectomy, it worked. Got it reversed, that worked.... twice Got another vasectomy...17 years later, all good. Just go to a legit great Dr. I mean top of the field Dr. For ANY messsin around down there. Vasectomy is WAY easier now than 25-30 years ago. In/out in an hour... The only thing that hasn't changed? ... The bag of frozen peas ..😂"

– richwat00

Vasectomies are performed via two methods, the incision vasectomy or a no-scalpel vasectomy, and both use local anesthesia to numb the scrotum.

Always consult a healthcare provider before undergoing the procedure and–most importantly–make sure you don't want to have children or that you and your spouse don't want to add additional family members.

Based on the anecdotes above, there's nothing to fear, so feel free to man up and get to snipping.

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The Scariest Yet Most Realistic Films About The Future Ever Made

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Tomasz Frankowski on Unsplash

I've always enjoyed a good scare on film and my Mother indulged my preferences as she also loved a good horror film.

While we thoroughly enjoyed a good Disney movie together, I was also allowed to watch Jaws, The Exorcist and The Omen before I was 10 years old.

Slashers and sci-fi frights were good, but to me the most effective scares involved nightmarish scenarios that might easily happen in the not so distant future.

For me, growing up Roman Catholic meant demonic possession and the AntiChrist were on the list of plausible fears.

But what films offered possible Hellscapes for others?

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movies

The Worst Reasons Cheaters Have Given To Justify Their Infidelity

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Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Infidelity in marriages isn't as widespread as people think. While some cynics would have us believe faithful partners are scarce, they account for over 4 out of 5 spouses.

Still, 16% of married couples in the United States admitted to being unfaithful at some point in their marriage.

And 57% of divorces were due to cheating.

In marriages where infidelity occurs, but doesn't result in divorce, the loss of trust is still a problem. It can make emotional and physical intimacy challenging.

So why do people cheat instead of ending their relationship before moving on?

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relationships

The Best Pickup Lines Of All Time

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Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

When it comes to flirting, everyone has their preferences of how they like to be flirted with. Some people like cleverly crafted pickup lines.

I always thought pickup lines were a cheap way to get someone's attention. That being said, there are some good ones out there. I've been on the receiving end of both. "On a scale from one to America, how free are you tonight?" and, "You must be the square root of two because I feel irrational around you."

Both got me to engage in conversation, and I even dated the guy who used the first one for a while.

I'm not the only one that knows some good pickup lines. Redditors have both heard and used some pickup lines and are eager to share their favorites.

It all started when Redditor Sauce_Dealer420 asked:

"What's the best pickup line of all time?"

Read It And See

"You put the sexy in dyslexic."

– koookyko

"This made me laugh so hard."

"Because I can read properly."

– TappedIn2111

I'm Hooked

"This girl I used to work with and I went to a bar after work and we’re having fun, and she leans over to tell me a joke. And she says:"

"Three boy mice and a girl mouse were all stuck in a room with no doors and no windows. One of the boy mice asked the girl mouse how to get out and she said, “Sleep with me tonight, and I’ll tell you in the morning.""

"The next day, he is gone. The second boy mouse asks the girl mouse how he got out and she says, “Sleep with me tonight, and I’ll tell you in the morning.""

"Next day, he’s gone too."

"So now the girl telling me this joke says to me, “Do you want to know how the last mouse gets out of the box?”

"And I say “yes.""

"And she says, “Sleep with ME tonight, and I’ll tell you in the morning”. All this while staring me in the eyes and smiling."

"I said, “Check please bartender!!""

"I forgot to ask her in the morning, but that was the best pickup line I’ve ever heard."

– reb678

Statistics

"The odds we sleep together are 50% because half of us agree so far."

– AlfheimKitteh

"Math is always super sexy."

– Acceptable-News-6811

Money, Money, Money

"Hey girl, are you the English financial system? Because I'm about to give you a weak pound."

– onemanwolfpack21

"Yo girl, do you know exchange rates? Because Euro 10."

– kkirchhoff

Winner, Winner

""Are you a magician? Cuz every time I look at you, everyone else disappears.""

"This line got me a wife and three kids. 😊"

– PRSHZ

One Liners

"Are you a beaver? Cuz damn."

– Starry_Night-

"If you were a fruit you'd be a fineapple."

– Slainna

"Hi, do you want to go for a ride on a Harley?"

"(My name is Harley) 😁"

– OMNIxvTRIX

No Losers

"If I asked you for a date would the answer to that question be the same as the answer to this question?"

– SchemePale6222

"I got blue screen in my head."

"Explain please."

– TastyToothpasta

"You can't lose. Say no, the answer is yes. Say yes, the answer is also yes."

"Dang sounds kinda creepy writing it out like that. Still clever wordplay though."

– Steeze_Schralper6968

Clever

"My go-to was always:"

"I used to be a history teacher, so I know lots of important dates. Want to help me make another one?"

"A little corny, but it usually worked."

– StuffToday

Refreshing

"That one actually worked with my ex on the first try."

"-Hey, do you like water?"

"-Yes."

"-Then you like me in 70% already."

– azurskyy

Sneaky

"Would you date a complete stranger?"

"If she says “yes” you’re in."

If she says “no.”

“Then allow me to introduce myself.”"

– Blastspark01

Playing Coy

"Once a girl came to me and told there was somebody who thought I was cute."

"I asked her who and she said “Me.""

– evil_boy4life

Prop Lines

"You have to have a handful of limes available to do this:"

"Hold the limes, drop the limes in front of the lucky person. Then say 'Sorry, I'm not very good at pick up limes.'"

– cannibalcats

Egg-cellent

"Best one that worked for me was:"

"Me: How do you like your eggs?"

"Her: Over easy, why?"

"Me: Just making sure I have things right for when I make you breakfast in the morning."

– Radiant_Boss4342

The Best Line

"How you doin?"

– 2x4x93

"There was a time when this was the ONLY line you could use!"

– JohnsLong_Silver

That line would definitely work on me!

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