What's you favorite redneck patient story??

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 3, 2003

I once took care of a 92 YO woman who, according to her family, had never been in a hospital, and had seen a doctor only three times in her entire life. ("An' that wuz only fer havin' us babies," said the 70-something son, who was accompanied by his 50-something sons and daughters and their children and grandchildren.....there were about 25 people in the room, and more in the hallway and waiting room....) These people looked like the stereotypical hillbillies---there might have been one whole set of teeth among the bunch, they chewed tobacco and spit in the corners. And they literally guarded this patient, asking us "What're ya gonna do to Granny now?" every time we stepped into the room. It didn't do any good for the nursing supervisor to ask them to leave, either, because they simply refused. They weren't really causing any trouble, there was just too many of them. (We didn't bother calling security, either, because our "force" consists of one little skinny guy who looks about 12 years old, an elderly gentleman who appears almost as fragile as some of our patients, and a fellow who must weigh 450#.) So we had to wade through this crowd of rather odoriferous folks to take care of this little lady, who actually was pretty cooperative although she did refuse to let us bathe her ("Ain't nobody ever give me a bath in my life but my mamma, and she been dead for fifty years".) Thankfully, she didn't have much wrong with her, as it turned out---she'd been admitted for dehydration---and went home two days later. Took housekeeping half a shift to get all the tobacco stains out of the corners and air out the room, but we were all glad to see them go, although I actually took a liking to the patient and couldn't help but admire her dignity and her fierce pride throughout what must have been an ordeal for her.

guru · Oct 8, 2003

mjlrn

LOL. I am rolling.

psychomachia · Oct 9, 2003

mjlrn writes: "These people looked like the stereotypical hillbillies---there might have been one whole set of teeth among the bunch, they chewed tobacco and spit in the corners. And they literally guarded this patient, asking us "What're ya gonna do to Granny now?" every time we stepped into the room. It didn't do any good for the nursing supervisor to ask them to leave, either, because they simply refused. They weren't really causing any trouble, there was just too many of them."

Me: Wow! Nothing like a little stereotyping of our patients to make us seem like professionals who are open minded towards other cultures...

mjlrn writes: "I once took care of a 92 YO woman who, according to her family, had never been in a hospital, and had seen a doctor only three times in her entire life. ("An' that wuz only fer havin' us babies," said the 70-something son, who was accompanied by his 50-something sons and daughters and their children and grandchildren....."

Me: Perhaps her lack of modern medical and nursing care contributed to such a lengthy life span, especially when the "professional" caregivers would look at her as just a toothless, smelly, tobacco chewing "hillbilly."

Each culture / ethnic group has been labled with identifying characteristics, but it seems as though "rednecks" are fair game for jokes/slurs/stereotyping that would be deemed unacceptable for other groups. If this post had been "What's your favorite Spic/Chink/Jap/Gook/N****r/Jew/Camel Jockey/Kraut/Ginny/Homo patient story?", I don't think your post would be thought of as very funny.

I'm sure some will disagree with my observations, but having come from a long line of "rednecks" and "hillbillies" who were settlers in this land long before it was a country and fought/died in every one of its wars, I think I have a right to be offended by your attempt at humor.

To make preconcieved observations and slurs about a particular ethnic group usually gets you labeled as a racist, but I'll refrain from calling you that for now since I suspect you didn't mean any harm, and you "actually took a liking to the patient." My, how sweet of you Miss Nightingale, especially after suffering with her "rather odoriferous" family. You're a true angel of mercy...

My only suggestion to you and others who see "rednecks" as a group only to be belittled is that you need to check your prejudices at the hospital door if you want to be thought of as the caring "professionals" so many nurses claim to be.

And if you don't like it, I'll come over to your house in my 4x4 pickup with a rebel flag flying, along with my pet pig and camp out in your lawn...YEEEEHAAAWWWWW!!!!

Notanurse · Oct 9, 2003

Well said. I can't help but think you might be slightly PC. What do you find funny in life? Job?

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 9, 2003

WOW. I guess there's a first time for everything.....until today, I had never, in almost 45 years on this planet, been accused of being a racist of any kind.

I'm floored. I have never knowingly set out to offend anyone in my life, not even political conservatives (with whom I have deep philosophical differences, but certainly not hatred). All I did here was reply to a question asked by the OP, and if I'm no Jeff Foxworthy, I wasn't trying to be......I'm a nurse, not a comedian who makes a career of ethnic 'jokes'. And what I actually did was report speech patterns and other aspects of the individuals surrounding my patient......not make fun of them, although the whole episode *was* rather humorous. Shame on me for finding humor in a situation such as this, and for offending someone who wasn't even there, yet who has made it crystal clear that I am a bad person, a racist even, because I shared this story.

Believe me, I've learned my lesson. I will never again post ANYTHING that may lead to charges of racism, or at the very least insensitivity toward those whose ethnicity/skin color/social status/politics/geography/speech patterns/accent/choice of vehicle decorations/music preferences/fill in the blank may be different from my own. Which I guess means I shouldn't post on this BB anymore, for fear of offending SOMEBODY with my ill-considered, prejudiced views.

My apologies to psychomachia for my existence.

Brownms46 · Oct 9, 2003

Gurl let it go, as I thought it was funny, and NOT malicious in any way shape or form!!! What you stated was no generalization, or slur!! You wrote what you saw, you didn't created the situation, they created it! And if it happened to be funny as all get out, and I loved the way you told it!!!

You know the old saying, that you please some of them people some of the time, and some of the people NONE of the time:chuckle!! I wonder how much has he been writing and trying to tell off ole Jeff Foxworthy???

Wow you know what??? What a dull and pitiful world it would be, if we couldn't see humor in those around us!! Man I'm glad I don't live in that world!

Noney · Oct 9, 2003

"Which I guess means I shouldn't post on this BB anymore, for fear of offending SOMEBODY with my ill-considered, prejudiced views."

Don't you dare quit posting!!!!

Here's another to break the ice. Took care of a lady(in the hospital) who had an 20+ cats at home. She wasn't the cleanest thing herself. She had this "rash" on her feet that I swear were flea bites. So any way, while she was with us, she put newspapers on the floor by her bed. New ones everyday!!! Not sure why? She seems perfectly sane otherwise. I just wondered, because of the look and smell of her, how good a home all these cats really had. I'm not really a lover, but....

Noney

sbic56, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2003

mjlrn97

I love your insightful posts; you never come across as racist or mean-spirited in any way. Please don't take what purple says as anything but the sanctimonious drivel that it came across to me as being. If we couldn't smile about the craziness we have to go through in the course of the day, we'd never make it in this profession. Hec, I live in Maine in a trailer and drive a pick up truck. I am probably more culturally related to the local rednecks than the rare upper class types we have in this state, but I'd be a fool to be insulted by your post, because I know there was not an ounce of malice in it.

Speaking of those comical culturally defined moments...I still smile when I think of the lady we dubbed the Jewish Princess as I envision her birthing her child in a squatting position still adorned with her pearl necklace and meticulously applied make up. The redneck in me roared over that one.:chuckle

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 9, 2003

Awwwwwww.....you guys are terrific!!

Don't worry, I won't quit posting.......I've got too big a mouth and too damned many opinions to ever shut up entirely. I was just so shocked by purple's post that I didn't even know HOW to react, and yes, I admit it: I was hurt. Ordinarily I'm pretty thick-skinned (you have to be if you're going to stick your neck out in the public arena the way I do), but this cut me to the quick......I probably shouldn't admit that, I don't want to give this poster the satisfaction, but it's true.

The irony is, I'm barely one generation out of the backwoods myself, and I KNOW I'm no sophisticate. Most of my family came from solid 'redneck' stock, and we laugh harder at Jeff Foxworthy's stuff than a lot of people because we can relate to so much of it!!

Thanks again, my friends......my faith in humanity has been restored!:kiss

WV_heart_RN · Oct 9, 2003

Hey mj!!

Being a WV hillbilly myself I think I have the expertise to judge your story as being biased or racial. I am very proud to be a hillbilly!!!! Call myself a redneck on those days when my big mouth gets me in more trouble than I can get out of......

Purple was right when she said it wouldn't have been funny if it was a spick/mexican joke. People use us rednecks and hillbillies in jokes 'cause we are tough and can handle a little ribbing now and then.

I thought your story was cute and I would have told it the same way if I had the experience!

EXPERT SAYS: YOU IS OKAY!!!!

If you can decipher this then you are a redneck:

MR PIGS

MR NOT PIGS

LIB MR PIGS

let me know if you get it or not!!

Brownms46 · Oct 9, 2003

Originally posted by mjlrn97
Awwwwwww.....you guys are terrific!!

Don't worry, I won't quit posting.......I've got too big a mouth and too damned many opinions to ever shut up entirely. I was just so shocked by purple's post that I didn't even know HOW to react, and yes, I admit it: I was hurt. Ordinarily I'm pretty thick-skinned (you have to be if you're going to stick your neck out in the public arena the way I do), but this cut me to the quick......I probably shouldn't admit that, I don't want to give this poster the satisfaction, but it's true.

The irony is, I'm barely one generation out of the backwoods myself, and I KNOW I'm no sophisticate. Most of my family came from solid 'redneck' stock, and we laugh harder at Jeff Foxworthy's stuff than a lot of people because we can relate to so much of it!!

Thanks again, my friends......my faith in humanity has been restored!:kiss

AWWW aren't you and cos just the sweetest folks ever! Here (((()))) for you both, and sbic too:D!!! And I LOOOOOVE Jeff Foxworthy!! He lives just a several miles up the road from my sister, and if I ever get to actually see him, I would fall out :rotfl: :roll! It's not so much what he says, but HOW he says it, that gets me going!