Therapy Lies in a Patch of Grass

I have grown a second addition in life, the television show Scrubs. The storylines depicts the humourous side of working in a hospital. I could almost compare myself to the character depicted by Zach Braff (John "J.D." Dorian). Despite being often stressed at work, I still manage to have an extremely caring heart and uses humour to make a difference, one patient at a time.

Ironically, I also share a similar over-active imagination which tends to visualize worst-case scenarios of the funniest kind. Who would have known that at the age of 29 I would be solely responsible for the psychiatric services of my hospital.

I constantly watch patients being brought into the hospital, knowing that for many, they will never be visited by friends and family, never improve their prognosis or never leve. Work often leave me overly stressed from frequent inappropriate referrals, countless complicated assessments, pressure from physicians to make recommendations for treatment and constant worrying of my patients whether they are being admitted or discharged home.

Sometimes I just feel all alone while questioning myself after work, "Could I have made a better decision for my patient today?" Like John Dorian, there are days which I beg to escape the Emergency Department and lay on some grass in a beautiful park while enjoying the sight of clouds floating by. I learned from one episode that life is way too short, that I've got to let go of my worries for patients after I leave and enjoy my personal time off.



Many people I meet have this notion that my job is relatively easy and quite cushy. Funny, even when I am out for coffee, I sometimes sit there still worrying about each of my patients that I may have left overnight at my hospital.

My coping mechanisms:

1. Listen to my Scrubs CD Soundtrack while telling myself that everything will okay, everything happens for a reason.

2. Crack open the Scrubs Season DVD box set and allow laughter to be the best therapy,

3. Be grateful that you're not being chased by a herd of attack ostriches,

4. Seek support from my good friend at work, Turk (Jason),

5. Run home to the one person (my wife) in my life who understands me and constantly brightens my day.