Damnit,Meredith - you're ruining my ER expecations!

I realize that I’m about a decade too late on my diatribe about Grey’s Anatomy. But I only recently started watching Grey’s Anatomy and it has left me with some pretty strong feelings. And I just need to get it out of me. Much like an aneurism might explode on Derek’s table, so too do my emotions in this blog.

First of all, can we just talk about unrealistic expectations this show sets up for us in terms of healthcare? Now, I’ve been to an ER once or twice but my experience was vastly different from that of the emergent patients riding on up to the doors of Seattle Grace/Mercy West/Grey Sloan Memorial hospital.
Generally speaking there is never a welcome parade of ridiculously good looking doctors just waiting outside the emergency entrance, ready to fight over who gets to give you better service.

Here’s what my latest ER experience was:

You walk in and are immediately hopeful that perhaps this time it will not take 6 hours to be seen. But that’s where you’re wrong. You’re shuffled from one waiting room to the next, your hope slowly fading into nothingness with each step you take towards the mirage of health. Once you’ve been there for good 2 or 3 hours, you start to question the severity of your injury. Could I just maybe go home and die quietly? Is this worth it? But then your sense of commitment kicks in and like a girl at the end of a never-ending bathroom line, you are determined to see it through. You’ve put in too much time to give up now. You will not give them the satisfaction.

Though there are some weak ones out there who just can’t take the pressure. While I was stoically in my 4^th hour of wait time, a sickly looking gal was brought in. She was supported by two of her friends and barely mobile. She looked on the verge of death and the human side of me wanted her to go ahead of me. But then also, I was all like: she should’ve gotten sick sooner. This spot is MINE.

But also, she looked like she only had a couple of hours left. They even brought out a gurney so she could await the sweet release of death in comfort. That’s when she whispered:

“How long before I can be seen?”
And the nurse answered, “Probably in 2.5 hours.”
“That’s ridiculous!” the sickly girl shouted, hopped off the gurney and marched out the door.

 

But this side is never seen on Grey’s Anatomy. And it just hurts my expectations. One episode should just be from the point of view of someone in the waiting room. Just 45 minutes of waiting. The episode would end with “to be continued.”