I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL HAVING MY PRE-SURGERY TESTS DONE....IT TOOK MOST OF THE MORNING AND I HAD ALREADY ENDURED A NURSE WHO TOOK BLOOD FROM ME AND WOULD NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE I WAS IN THE CHAIR...I AM BRUISED DOWN MY ARM FROM THE NEEDLE BEING INJECTED........SHE DID NOT EVEN SLOW DOWN WHEN I TOLD HER THE PAIN SHOT DOWN MY ARM......SO BE IT...FINE.....B#$%H!

WHAT BOTHERED ME MORE WAS WHEN I WAS FINALLY FINISHED THE TESTS...MY BACK BOTHERED ME SO MUCH AS I HAVE BACK PROBLEMS....I MET MY HUSBAND AT A SMALL coffee SPOT IN IN HOSPITAL AND WHEN HE GOT UP TO LEAVE I ASKED HIM TO STAY SEATED AS I NEEDED TO REST MY BACK A BIT BEFORE THE LONG WALK TO THE CAR.......( WHICH HE WENT AN GOT THE CAR FOR ME INSTEAD...)

I AM SITTING THERE DRINKING MY BOTTLE OF Water WHEN I CAN SEE OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE THIS MAN AT THE NEXT TABLE TAPPING HIS WIFE'S COMPUTER TABLET TO GET HER ATTENTION SO THAT SHE CAN SEE WHAT HE IS LOOKING AT....

IT WAS ME...HE WANTED TO GET HER ATTENTION SO THAT SHE COULD SEE ME AT THE NEXT TABLE....

I LOOKED OVER JUST AS SHE RAISED HER EYES TO TAKE IN THE VIEW AND OUR EYES MET........SHE LOOKED SURPRISED THAT I WAS THE ISSUE HE WAS TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION FOR. SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND THEN WITHOUT EVEN SO MUCH AS A BLINK SHE WENT BACK TO HER COMPUTER.........HE AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND HE STARTED TO GRIN...I STARED AT HIM AND HE CONTINUED TO GRIN.......HE THOUGHT I WAS FUNNY ( NO ) I HAD NOT SPOKEN OR CRACKED A JOKE...HE WAS ENTERTAINED BY MY SIZE...MY PAIN, MY FLAWS.......FINALLY HE LOOKED DOWN AND I RETURNED TO DRINKING MY WATER....HE WAS THE KIND OF PERSON WHO LOOKED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.....NOTHING SPECIAL....JUST AN AVERAGE JOE WHO THOUGHT THAT LAUGHING AT THE FAT LADY WAS ENTERTAINMENT FOR HIS PERSONAL PLEASURE....HE IS JUST ONE IN MANY THAT I HAVE DEALT WITH IN MY LIFE WHO HAS A THING FOR LAUGHING AT PEOPLE IF THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE HIM.....

WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING....YOU ARE NOTHING SPECIAL YOURSELF MAC. I CAN IMPROVE AND YOU..YOU WILL STAY YOUR IGNORANT SELF...AND PROBABLY TEACH THAT TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN......IT JUST HURT YOU KNOW..IT JUST DID!

Hang in there RJ! I'm sorry you had such a rough day! Unfortunatly, there will always be ignorance & rudeness in the world. You are absolutely doing what's best for you. Chin up! I have to say I'm confused by the nurse. Sounds like she needs a "bedside manner check". You can always let your doc know about your experience at with the nurse. Will be praying that things go better for you next time.

Sorry to hear of this rough start but want to put in a word of support for the nurses. You were more than likely treated by a phlebotomist. That is someone that usually only has a high school degree & a few weeks training on how to "stick" people. Most (not all) nurses are caring & sensitive to their patients..I hope you have those kind during the rest of your journey!

Don't worry RJ, it won't be like this for long. He has to live with himself. He is not important. You are on your way to your weight loss journey and very soon you will be happy with yourself and pain free. I understand the hurt because I went through it too. You are better than him.

TY FOR YOUR KIND WORDS..........

RJ--Sorry you had to deal with an insensitive caregiver and a jerk of a guy...Need-a-Sleeve, I have to say that my mother-in-law is a phlebotomist, she's been doing it for many, many years, and she is not as you described in your generalization. The OP probably just had someone who didn't know what they were doing and didn't care to attend to her as a person. Just like nurses vary, so do others in the health-care industry. I have had some awesome phlebotomists and nurses, and some that were not so good. Anyway, RJ, know that it was their problem, not yours; don't let them bring down your beautiful spirit!

SHE DID NOT BOTHER ME AS MUCH AS THE MAN DID...FOR ONE THING SHE WAS YOUNG AND SHE LOOKED VERY INTO HERSELF........WHICH I NOTICED RIGHT AWAY....SHE MADE NO EMOTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER....I JUST DID NOT EXIST..I WAS MEAT PASSING THROUGH THE BLOOD LAB.......SHE JUST NEEDS TO LEARN PATIENT CARE BED SIDE MANNER.......FOR THE GUY..HE NEEDS TO START AT HIS CORE....WHAT A HORRIBLE PERSON HE IS TO LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT.......IT AM ON A ROAD TO IMPROVE MYSELF AND AM TAKING THE STEPS....HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT....AND YET IT IS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS.......I DID NOT LOOK AT HIM AND LAUGH AT HIS IMPERFECTIONS......IT JUST FELT DEGRADING....

I can't imagine looking at anyone and laughing at them based on how they look. How horrible! You are right though -- you are on the path to improving, and he can't do anything for a bad personality.

I feel your pain

That made me sick - so sorry you had to go through that. Soon it will be a whole new world for you!!

RJ: I have found that my attitude towards myself colors how I perceive other people's treatment or reaction to me. Why not try applying some different scenarios like.... the girl who took your blood had just had a terrible fight with her boyfriend and she was trying her best to not break down crying in front of you ... and .... the man in the cafeteria actually thought you reminded him of his long lost Aunt whom he really loved .

I know, I'm a nut. I would rather live in a world where most people are basically kind and so these are the stories I tell myself. Now, that being said, if I am in a foul mood or feeling low EVERYONE is out to get me, they're all jerks, and their mama's got smelly feet.

Hang in there, feel better.

SPATTERS..LOVE THE ATTITUDE...BUT I HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH AND I HAVE HAD ENOUGH....I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN SEE THINGS AROUND ME AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING BEFORE YOU SPEAK.......IT IS NOT A GIFT FROM BEYOND..IT IS A SENSE I PICKED UP EARLY IN MY CHILDHOOD TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM PAIN.......I HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF PEOPLES CHARACTER.

THAT SAID....IT JUST BOTHERS ME FOR ME AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO JUDGE ME BASED ON MY SIZE.....I AM FUNNY, INTERESTING AND SMART......THAT IS WHY I AM TAKING THIS STEP SO THAT THOSE PARTS WILL COME FORWARD MORE.......I WANT ME TO BE THE REAL PERSON AND NOT HIDE ANYMORE BEHIND MY SHELL, FEAR OR PAIN.

THE FACT IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE WORKING AT IT...NO ONE KNOWS THAT EITHER. BUT IF LEFT UNCHECKED IT MIGHT BE YOU THAT IS AT THE BRUNT OF HIS POOR HUMOR TOMORROW...I ABHOR THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR FROM ANYONE...IT MAKES ME SICK...I SHOULD HAVE STOOD UP AND FACED HIM AND TOLD HIM WHAT I THOUGHT...BUT WHAT GOOD WOULD THAT HAVE DONE.......SOME PEOPLE WILL NEVER CHANGE...MUCH EASIER FOR THEM TO LOOK OUTWARD AND SEE THE FLAWS THEN LOOK INWARD AND CHANGE YOUR OWN.........HE NEEDS A COMPLETE CHANGE STARTING FROM THE CORE.......THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT......

Hang in there RJ! Just remember ...all the outside stuff can be fixed...but that poor fellow that did that..well you just can't fix ugly, know what I mean? Hold your head high, you're a caterpillar that will emerge as the butterfly you always were! Now if that had been me, II would have let out a loud fart or something of the like and said, "now that's funny jackass"! But then again..that's me!

PIPLULU.........TY YOU MADE ME LAUGH....WISH I COULD SEE THAT........