Writing, mental illness, and the flu vaccine

Let me start with a little story:

Yesterday at work (the non-writing gig is in healthcare) I was asked to receive the flu vaccine, and I politely declined. Sadly that wasn't enough I needed to sign a DECLINATION FORM. Sounds scary right?

'Cause it is. On the form I had to check a box that read:

[ ] I am declining the flu vaccine. I am aware that by not being vaccinated against the flu I am damning myself, my patients, my coworkers, and my family to hell. I am okay with this.

Check.

But wait…there's more. I had to list a reason for declining the flu vaccine. My choices were as follows:

[ ] I'm a big pansy and I'm afraid of needles.

[ ] I'm a big pansy and I'm afraid of getting the flu.
[ ] I have a health condition that prevents me from receiving the vaccine, and I should just leave healthcare all together to avoid further embarrassment.
[ ] I have a God complex, and am relying on my natural immunities to protect me.

Well none of these options worked for me so instead I created my own:

[X] I think the government uses flu vaccines as a way to Lojack the general public.

At this point my only concern was that this paperwork was somehow tracked and I was going to end up on a Government watch list of people who Know too much, but when I related my concerns to my dear and darling husband he said, "Brandy, they're going to think you're crazy."
"So?"
"So…that would be bad."

***Epiphany time***

Crazy Writer= GOOD

Crazy nurse= BAD

Is it any wonder that writers have a rep for being a little nutso? We have voices speaking to us all the time, we close our eyes and imagine we are Gods, Angels, Demons, rich, poor, or redheaded, and then we document our vivid hallucinations in writing. This would earn anyone else a trip to the psych ward, but for writers it's part of our creative process.

* Side note: nurses are discouraged from getting too creative.

What have I learned today -I shouldn't let writer Brandy bleed into other Brandy.
Solution- I am going to actively try to cultivate multiple personalities (that's healthy right?).
Outlook- This should work out fine….