Communications?

This year started off on a depressing note. Last year ended depressing too. Thus the lack of blogging. (Though, on Christmas and New Year's I was very glad and happy and thankful to have my darling spend it with me. Or I think the last week of 2007 and the first week of 2008 would be spent under storm clouds.)

Still, I suppose it isn't a good excuse to not blog.

I'm finally 21 but my mother has never failed to remind me that even though I'm 21, I don't get the "keys of freedom" (whatever that meant) because until I am married I will still be under her care. She accused me of being incredibly immature (goodness knows I figured that out a long time ago; hearing it from her just made it hurt more). Sigh. Then again, she only speaks to me to inform me of things or demand to know what I am doing or to reprimand me of things she believes I have not done right. As a kid, I wondered if she hears anything I said. Well, she would have been listening if she didn't ask me the same questions again the next day or fail to remember the specific things she asked of me. Reminding her didn't work as well (I get butchered by very sharp speech).

So I've learned to grow up and shut up.

It isn't very difficult. Just answer minimally and do not bother to wonder if she listened or heard because I'll just have to repeat it again. Oh, did I mention she told me that unless I have a good relationship with her first I won't be able to have good relationships with anyone at all? It really hurt especially when she had to say this: "don't you know? People around you calls you superficial!" Yes, it hurts, especially since I know she doesn't talk to my friends. If she had heard this from "friends" she believes are my friends, I really hope she was talking to someone who had been there to be a friend for at least the past year. (I highly doubt it.)

I digress. My relationship with my mother is hardly an interesting subject.

My internship is coming to an end. Experiencing work and how my future might look like was interesting. Exciting even! Every day is a new day and different things always happen! It's amazing to know what sort of patients come into hospitals everyday. It's even more amazing how certain doctors and nurses can survive in their career for so long. And in one place too! There are those with high demands and those who are very kind and those who are extremely pleasant. Working anywhere is tough, especially knowing the sort of people you have to deal with!

Then again, that's just what it's all about. Relationships!

People will always be with people. People will always have to relate with people. Courtesy, respect, common sense, and whatever counts as good social practices will always be handy. The ability to communicate seems to become more important as you grow older. Your words carry more weight, the responsibility towards the outcome of whatever you say increases, and most of all, the impression you leave on any person based on your dialogue is much deeper. I'm not just talking about first impressions too.

An MLT who can gain the trust and confidence of doctors because of their demeanor and professionalism is the one with the brightest future in my line of work. Everything they say and do, if done professionally and pleasingly to their customers and colleagues (doctors and patients and nurses even), will earn them more credibility. Working in the lab is the same for every MLT or CLS. They all run the same tests and are subject to the same type of work. But if doctors were to demand for reports and they say it is not ready because of test times, the MLT with the best ability to communicate effectively will be deemed acceptable and therefore trusted. Otherwise, the doctor will come over to the lab to see for themselves if everything is as was said! Or, the doctor will doubt whatever results you give them and demand for it to be repeated over and again by someone else (the trusted one of course).

Somewhat unfair but true. But! I do believe that unless you are ready to listen to what the other person has to say, you shouldn't be worrying about how to get your point across just yet.