Karen, don't make me Karen

Because I promise I will out Karen you!

No, I don't like the 'Karen' term. I don't use it, except one time...apparently, incorrectly! I always pictured a Karen as someone who complained when they could easily deal with the situation, made a big deal about nothing and basically, thought they were better than other people, deserved better treatment.

I watched other YouTube creators, putting out tons of content with the title Karen that was getting tens, if not hundreds of thousands of views. So, when I came across a Grandma who was, in my opinion, being prejudice against her grandson's girlfriend and trying to put them out on the street, along with their newborn, I thought I would experiment with the term Karen. There were other factors that made her fit the term in my mind. She was being difficult for no reason. I needed to increase my measly $200 a month YouTube revenue to something sustainable...so why not try the sensationalized headlines like the big boys?

Why? Because if you aren't a big boy, stay out of the yard! Boy, did I get my ass handed to me in the comments. I was told in no uncertain terms, Grandma was not a Karen. Those kids were freeloaders, and so much more. How dare I make that assumption?!?! Yea, I know. That's why I don't ever make those assumptions.

That is also why I ensure that I never become a Karen. I know I have the ability to do it. Years ago, when I was younger, healthier and stupider, I commonly acted like an asshat for no reason. Fortunately, I have grown out of that attitude and I am very considerate of other people. Working for eight years with people screaming at you, acting like entitled assholes will do that to you.

I am especially patient with doctors and nurses. I know how short staffed everyone has been since the start of the pandemic. I try to make their job as easy as possible and be as nice as possible. This is especially true at my monthly infusions. Always be nice to the person shoving the sharp thing into your body!

It is also because there are months when those 3 hours are the only time I leave the house for the entire month. There has been a lot of turn over there and hiring of additional staff. It went from half a dozen of us lining the room in our recliners, to 30. It can get hectic. A few months ago, a new lady was assigned to me. She was very nice. Worked in a Trauma ER. I have crappy veins, so they have to somewhat know what they are doing. I figured Trauma ER, so problem. I still explained exactly what to do. Then went back to my phone (I can't watch). I was actually in the middle of a YouTube live at the time.

What she is doing hurts a lot more than normal. I asked her not to dig if she didn't get it before she started. It never works. But what does she do? Dig all around. I sucked it up and finally she said "I got it." Then proceeded to push half of a syringe of saline into NOT MY VEIN! It actually hurt like hell. She said something about he needle being defective, then repeated that entire procedure again! I told her before she pushed the saline to do it slow to make sure she has it. She assured me she did...but nope.

They are only allowed two tries then someone else has to. Another girls comes over, I don't even feel it. The nurse, who is ironically named Karen, is mumbling about something being defective. I was preoccupied with the live and tried to ignore it all.

28 days later, I was back for my next infusion and who do I get assigned to me? Karen! Fortunately, this time she had a trainer looking over her shoulder. We talked for a while. She apparently had looked up my YouTube channel and mentioned it. We chatted for about 5 minutes then she started looking for a vein. I told her where a good one was. Right as she was going for it, she changed location and tried to insert the IV right on my wrist bone...look at your wrist, that little bone that sticks up on your pinky side? Literally, right there. But there isn't a big vein there, so she missed again. This time, instead of hitting tissue or whatever, she hits a nerve.

There is something about having MS, when someone jabs a needle into a nerve, you feel it in every inch of your body. I screamed and started yelling take it out, take it out. Karen is just staring at me telling the training the needle is bent. This went on for 20-30 seconds, which is a lot of time to have searing pain shooting through you. The trainer stepped forward as my words turned to four letter, and she finally took it out. Of course, it triggered a panic attack. It took 30 minutes to calm down enough to let the training get the IV, which was painless.

The trainer told me, you need to write a letter to management and complain. WHAT? I don't complain. I also don't know if I can stay calm enough to let Karen near me again with anything sharp. I really had to think hard about this. I don't want to me that patient who complains. I also don't want Karen near me again.

Finally, after a week of thinking about it, I wrote the letter. The following month when I went back, the manager came back to me and thanked me for my letter. They needed documentation to terminate her and I gave it to them...I got Karen fired. I am still not sure how I feel about that. She was a nice person, just took no accountability for screwing up and causing pain. I guess maybe I saved other patients from the torture I went through, but I can't help feeling like I'm the Karen now.

Until next time...

XOXO

-Meg