Ahhh one time a very senior government appointee berated me at work when I was 22 (and also not wrong about the thing he was berating me about!). I cried at work and it was awful. Then later that day on my way to the metro, I found $20. TWENTY whole dollars. It restored the balance of the universe to my underpaid, abused self.

Now I live in Seattle, where people are so passive and polite that they won't break into your car, they just go up and down streets trying every door handle and taking whatever is in open cars. Car prowling! Who knew this was a thing. I guess I didn't need all those $4 pairs of sunglasses and cupholder full of change anyway.

Oof. Finally created a comment account because this hit so close. Last Wednesday, I had a ultrasound for a known and minor kidney abnormality, during which the tech became very alarmed, started paging my doctor, and when my doc didn't respond, assured me I would hear by the end of the day from my doctor. My doctor was unreachable until Saturday, despite many frantic calls, pages from her staff, etc. No one would share with me what was so alarming. In the end, it was nothing more than what has always been there.

This comes on the heels of being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an adult (in December), at the same time as having my own thyroid cancer scare (which was fortunately negative). I so so empathize with how insensitive the medical system is to people who are trying to balance their own fears with the fears of their loved one and with the facts that no one will level with them. My life is so much more complicated now than it was 7 months ago, but even the few kind and caring medical professionals I've dealt with have no understanding of the stress that this puts people through.