No patience for patients

There are these billboards near my house for a hospital a few miles away.  One has the word "patience" with a definition, it says, "Spending countless hours commuting to and from work."  The other says "Patients" and defines it as "recipients of quality healthcare close to home." 

I find it interesting how these homonyms are so closely related.  How the care of patients requires so much patience.  

I have patience, don't get me wrong.  I have been raised in so many situations that have required me to have it.  My youngest sister was born with more defects than any one person should be punished with, but she always had a pretty good attitude about it.  She knows she's different, but I think she is mostly OK with it.  Growing up with her as a sister was difficult.  I always had to be home with her, even when she got older, because mentally, she wasn't the right age.  I remember one day she wouldn't leave to walk to the bus on time, and I left her.  You know, to set an example.  The bus came and she hadn't made it yet.  Since we were the first to get on the bus, it actually looped down and came back by the road where our stop was, about 20 minutes later.  I told the bus driver to pick us up on the way back.  I walked back to the house to get her.  She wasn't there.  I ran to my grandparents house up the block.  I knocked on all my neighbors doors.  I was freaking out.  I couldn't find her.  The bus had long driven past, and I didn't get on.  My backpack was still on it, holding my research paper that was due that morning at 9 a.m.  I finally called her school.  The person who answered the phone said they had actually seen my sister walk by a few minutes ago (at age 12 and about 4 foot tall, she was pretty recognizable).  I demanded they go get her.  She picks up the phone and tells me that she walked to a neighbors house that has kids who don't ride our bus.  Their mom took her with them to school.  I couldn't decided if I was relieved or really pissed.  

Working in retail for seven years, training teenager after teenager to be polite, fold t-shirts, and count back cash, I learned new ways to be patient.  

But this has been a completely different experience.  In my own home, my guard is down.  I don't expect to have these things happen to me.  I never thought I would have to fight with another woman for my husband.  And I never imagined that woman would be his mom.  

 There are so many times that I wonder how much worse this Oedipus complex can get.