A nurse's thoughts at Christmas time

Carols playing in the streets...lights strung from window to window...cardboard stars hanging from various doorways..yes, it's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Not like I would actually know of course. You see, I spend most of my day at work, and that includes Christmas and New Year's day. I am a nurse, and sickness does not stop for anyone or anything, may it be the birth of Christ or cheering in 2013. December and January are pretty much the worst times of the year for a hospital, because of the drop in temperature which the elderly community find hard to deal with, and along with December comes what I like to call 'Holiday Health Stupidity' or HHS. HHS consists of doing things that at any other time of the year one would simply not do because one knows that doing such things can be hazardous to one's health. These things include: 1. Drinking oneself to oblivion- that extra bottle of wine at the staff Xmas dinner was totally unnecessary...so why did you order it? I can imagine just how excruciating these get-togethers can be but still...just swear under your breath, it's much safer. 2. Eating oneself to oblivion- you have been eating non-stop for a...