Doctor Visits...On Going To The Doctor

            I do not like to go to the doctor.

            Thank God for doctors. Thank God for doctors in our town. Thank God for our nice doctors.

            There. I said it. Now I can go on without feeling that I am insulting someone.

            The first thing that drives me bats is that when my “turn” comes up, the nurse leads me to the scale. I fear the scale. It’s a phobia, I know. But that thing is my enemy. It tells lies about me. Nothing of value will get accomplished with my getting on that BEAST.  That monster and I are not friends! 

            In fact, on several past trips to the Specialist, I did tell the nurse I wasn’t getting on the scale, and do you know what she said? She said, “OK”. (she was a little pudgy herself!)

            Some fear the blood pressure wrap. I understand. It squeezes the living daylights out of your arm, doesn’t it. No wonder you have blood pressure problems.  

            Some fear the needle. Yes. It is an ominous little devil, isn’t it?

            But me?  I thoroughly dread being shut up in a little room with only the company of  a chair, (NO magazines), and THE long dreaded table meant to lie on with those heinous stirrups!

             No,  the room could be more endurable IF they would leave the dang door open,… or IF the doctor could walk through the door in say, three minutes. But the closed door-isolation while sitting there for 15 or 20 minutes makes my heart beat faster. Soon, the idea comes to my mind that I might like to jump ship, blast out the closed door, and run down the hall screaming EEEAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

            We are all different. We each experience different emotions in the doctor’s office.

            In the meantime, regarding all of our experiences, whatever they may be… Could the medical profession make some little changes to make us feel more comfortable? Maybe we could be offered a vanilla ice cream cone, a cup of hot chocolate, and maybe a magazine? Oh, and a pair of ear phones to play soothing music in our ears?? Or how about an open door? Yes!

            I found this story and thought I would pass it on to you. It could happen to any of us women. Maybe even a man under different circumstances!

            The woman’s name is Elizabeth Guess and she deserves the credit for the following expose.

            I was due for an appointment with the gynecologist later in the week. Early one morning, I received a call from the doctor’s office to tell me that I had been rescheduled for that morning at 9:30 am. I had only just packed everyone off to work and school, and it was already around 8:45am. The trip to his office took about 35 minutes, so I didn’t have any time to spare. As most women do, I like to take a little extra effort over hygiene when making such visits, but this time I wasn’t going to be able to make the full effort.

So, I rushed upstairs, threw off my pajamas, wet the washcloth that was sitting next to the sink, and gave myself a quick wash in that area to make sure I was at least presentable. I threw the washcloth in the clothes basket, donned some clothes, hopped in the car and raced to my appointment.
I was in the waiting room for only a few minutes when I was called in. Knowing the procedure, as I’m sure you do, I hopped up on the table, looked over at the other side of the room and pretended that I was in Paris or some other place a million miles away.
I was a little surprised when the doctor said, “My, we have made an extra effort this morning, haven’t we?” I didn’t respond.
After the appointment, I heaved a sigh of relief and went home. The rest of the day was normal .. Some shopping, cleaning, cooking. After school when my daughter was playing, she called out from the bathroom, “Mommy, where’s my washcloth?”
I told her to get another one from the cupboard.
She replied, “No, I need the one that was here by the sink, it had all my glitter and sparkles saved inside it.”
Never going back to that doctor again……….. never!

            Yes. God bless you, Elizabeth. It could have been any of us.