Of Sharks and other unpleasant things

"Business is NOT your friend." That is what someone told me years ago while working at one of my first jobs. How true that is! I have been screwed over by employers more times than I care to think about. And so it continues to be so ...

On Monday I called the first shift supervisor to make sure that he or someone else would be in at work for me to speak to in regards to my work injury last Friday. He told me that he could not guarantee that I would be able to get in to see THE ONLY staff nurse that they have between two building facilities with three shifts and about a dozen or so departments - whom by the way, only works day hours and no Friday's and my employer does not have anyone "on call" either as if no one gets injured on second or third shift, right? And, since my second shift supervisor does not usually show up until about an hour into my shift, the first shift supervisor helped me by filling out the "Incident Report." He then attempted to call the staff nurse at the other building/facility who did not answer so he left a message for her about getting me in for an appintment to be examined. To my knowledge, he never heard back from her.

Yesterday (Tuesday), I e-mailed the nurse inquiring as to when she could see me. BTW, our regular staff nurse is on maternity leave so they have a temporary nurse who, like our regular nurse, also works for the medical staffing company called Medcor. No reply. I left the house early for work in order to try to find out if ANYONE had heard from the nurse. Good thing I did because I approched the first shift supervisor in his office who informed me that the nurse was in my building and "she has been waiting for you since 1PM. You had an appointment."  WTH?  I told him that I was not told about it, but I will go see her right away. 

So, I am sitting in the nurses office filling out the Workers' Compensation forms and answering her questions. She kept asking me, "Did I fall? Did I fall? Did I fall?" I kept telling her "no." Then, she said that a "co-worker had mentioned" that I fell on Halloween? I explained what had occurred AT HOME when I was trying to feed my cats in the kitchen and one of my cats got in between my legs and in order to avoid stepping on her, I tripped and my chin hit/fell into the edge of the counter top. I then proceeded to pull my plague mask down to show her the bruise which is practically gone by this point in time. I told her it happened two Sundays ago and has nothing what-so-ever to do with my work injury. She examined my back and side and between having no physical evidence and the timing of the chin injury (the chin bruise happened over a week ago), she concurred that the incidences were not related. Futhermore, she diagnosed my injury as a "sprained muscle" and pretty much did nothing - except get me out of mandatory overtime this Saturday. I inquired about x-rays to be sure, she refused to, citing that her examination did not give her any reason to do so. Hence, last night toward the end of my shift, I began feeling and hearing a "popping" on the right side where the supposed strained muscle is located. Folks, I am FED THE F*** UP with these people! I told my husband if it continues the rest of the week, I will go to Urgent Care MYSELF on Saturday and insist on an x-ray! And, I will use my employers medical insurance to do it! 

Now (and this is the really interestng part of this story), on Monday I was waiting with the rest of my co-workers to leave the room and clock out. My Line Lead was sitting with my supervisor at the computer desk located at the front of the room. She asked me if I was feeling any better? I told her no - thinking that she was asking about my work injury. She was referring to my chin injury. Then she asked me to explain AGAIN how it happened. Strange? Not really, I am not stupid, I knew she was trying to 'throw me under the bus' as they say by making me explain my chin injury incident again in front of my supervisor. I said, "Ohh that? That happened two Sundays ago -  it has nothing to do with my work injury" and explained it all again for ALL to hear! She wanted to make herself look good I am sure.  She was trying to make a liar out of me and cause trouble over unsubstantiated proof and conjecture. She is a shark indeed - and that company, appalling. I am NOT a liar - I did not lie to get hired for that job AND I will NOT lie in order to keep it!