I recently took a visit to the ER after falling off of a curb (yes, I am a klutz) and tearing the ligaments in my ankle. This was definitely not my first time in the ER and I am sure it will not be my last. I always cringe at the thought of going to the hospital, even if it is to just visit somebody. I have never had a horrible experience, there is just something about the environment of hospitals that freaks me out.

As soon as I arrived to the ER last week, I knew that it was going to be an interesting visit. I walked through the door to a woman being wheeled into the back on a stretcher. Her husband began a screaming match with the security guard over wanting to go with his wife. The security officer put up a firm stance of not allowing him to do that. After about five minutes of yelling back and forth in the waiting room, the town’s police department showed up. I’m not sure what happened after that, but the man and his son never came back.

When it was my turn to go into a room, they brought me back with a young child, no older than 7 or 8, who had stomach problems. He was put in a room down the hall from me and all I could hear for the next 2 hours was him hurling in the bathroom. I felt so bad for this boy and with a sensitive stomach myself, I could understand his pain.

Between the unexpected fights and the interesting yet appalling sicknesses (which I do not blame anyone for), hospitals are a unique place. I have so much empathy for those who work in hospitals. From the doctors, nurses and security staff to the receptionists, cleaning workers, and other various staff members. They all give 100% of their time, patience, and knowledge to try to better their patients. They go through so much more than I could ever imagine. The long hours and difficult situations that they have to deal with never stops them. I was only in the ER for a little over two hours that night and I could not wait to leave. These workers come into work at all hours of the day and deal with unpredictable conditions. Hospitals creep me out, but it does not stop these people from coming in nearly everyday to help others.

You will never catch me working in a medical field that requires me to work in a hospital. Just being a patient in one makes me uncomfortable. I give so much credit to those who choose these jobs as their career. I would never be able to handle all of the erratic scenarios that go on every single day and the decisions you must make under pressure. I know a few people myself who aspire to work in that field and I commend them 110%, but that is something I could never do. Trying to deal with the messy and repulsive conditions, dealing with blood and needles, and doing many other things that I can not even imagine, I would not last one day on the job. Because of this, I just want to thank all of the doctors, nurses and hospital workers for all that you do. You do not hesitate to do whatever is needed and you always do it with a smile on your face.