You know you're stressed out when...

... you're at the clinic seeing to what seems like a minor chest infection. The doctor tells you to lie down and gives you the all over examination. He presses down hard on the lymph nodes on your neck and a grave look of concern crosses his face. He ignores the questions you raise and calmly finishes the rest of his examination. He steps behind his desk, removing the stethoscope from his ears and balances his glasses on his nose, jotting down his observations in your medical records while you sit yourself up nervously and prepare yourself for his diagnosis.

Doctor: I'd advise you to take a chest x-ray.
Me: Is.... is everything okay?
Doctor: Just a precautionary measure...
Me: What's wrong...?
Doctor: Your lymph nodes, they're unusually large and knotted
Me *hand self-consciously going to the back of my neck*: Oh? I thought these were just over-exercised neck muscles. I go to the gym alot, you see...
Doctor: No, those are your lymph nodes, part of your immune system. They become enlarged when your body is fighting off an infection.
Me *crestfallen*: Oh... I thought those arm lifts were finally working.
Doctor *rolls his eys*: Noooo... I don't know, maybe you have unusually large lymph nodes. Or maybe...
Me: Maybe what??
Doctor: Maybe you have tubercolosis.
Me *eyes lighting up*: TB? You mean that infectious disease where you cough up green goo and requires hospitalisation and quarantine? Ooh... do you think I can be out of work till.. say... 12th October?
Doctor: Look, I'm just saying it may be serious. That's why I'm advising you to take a chest x-ray.
Me *nodding over enthusiastically* (thinking) : Please give me TB.... Please give me TB...

I was so happy I just about stopped myself from skipping to the x-ray room. So imagine my disappointment when my results came back and I did not have TB, nor did any nasty little flecks show up on my lungs. I had to pay RMB600 for it and I was given a clean bill of health to work my sorry little arse to the ground.

And THAT is when you know that your job is a health hazard in its own right.