Embarrassing Lunch Saga

I won't bore you with my tales from the IDPH Stroke meetings, Patient Safety task forces, and physician recruitment committees in which I sat these past few days.

But I will tell you about my newest embarrassing event!

I went to our western Fozzie campus in the early morning, as there was a physician/executive breakfast I had to attend. We feed the docs neat eats like crepes, french toast, and eggs Benedict and get the 'real scoop' on how things are going for them. It's a good time, as you get to hear the docs talk frankly about their days (like the one cardiologist who lectured us on good nutrition and lifestyle choices and then stuffed his face with bacon). Plus, they serve really good coffee (read: jet fuel), so despite my tiredness at the seemingly never-ending week, I had a good blast of rocket power from the java.

The night before, I ran to the supermarket to get some groceries (angels singing in the background) and actually had food in my house. I took several extra minutes in the morning to make a great lunch for myself. I threw it in my car and hit the highway. Since I was scheduled to be at the breakfast for 2 hours, I took my precious lunch inside and stuck it in the Admin fridge. I left myself a note to not forget my lunch.

The note fell into my purse and I forgot all about it. And my lunch.

Because the breakfast ran late, I booked out of the hospital, sped the 6 miles across town, and bounced out of my car as it rolled to a stop in the other hospital's parking garage. I had to present my budget for Administration to the folks in Finance and to the CEO/COO/CFO! As soon as that presentation was over (it went well and they gave me kudos for knocking us down 10%), my stomach growled with furor and I dreamt of my thick, homemade sandwich sitting in the fridge...across town. Goshdarnitalltofreakingheck!

In the 10 minutes between meetings, I was gabbing to one of the secretaries about my lunch, sitting in the forlorn darkness of the fridge across town. She laughed and picked up the phone. I thought she was attending to business, so I left and went into my meeting.

An hour later, I went back into my office to find a trail of post-it notes leading around my desk and...to my lunch! Someone even laid out a napkin and plastic utensils. I cracked up when the secretary told me the story about how she had the courier grab it and bring it over to the other hospital campus!

Oh, man. Now I owe TWO people lunch, both the secretary and the courier! One of the attorneys just happened to be passing by and commented to me, "You're becoming so high-maintenance!"