Thursday, February 28, 2008

Waiting Room Revelations

There are any number of reasons for me to find a new doctor.  Oodles.  If I really put my mind to it, I could go on for days and days...

Just off the top of my head, there's the fact that she runs a small practice and really has more patients than the office hours can accommodate.  She's usually triple-booked and the wait time can be lengthy.

She has a family of her own and is committed to being a mom.  It's first and foremost.  This means that she may decide to cancel appointments during school vacation week and reschedule them for the following week.  Not only does this mean I have to take a sick day in order to take care of my regular appointment, but that she will be even more over-booked and that the wait time will increase exponentially.

The parking lot is small and, with all the stupid (and still falling) snow we've had this year, finding a place to put even a smallish SUV is tricky.  I found myself having to use the handicapped spot this morning, then having to watch the lot like a parking stalker for a new spot to open up so I could race out to move my vehicle.  I don't like using handicapped parking.  I'm not handicapped.  

The drug reps are everywhere and their sharp suits make me feel frumpish.  Especially on days when I don't feel well and have pretty much just rolled out of bed to make the appointment and am looking not so sharp.  

There is also the humiliation factor that is born out of responding truthfully to the New Nurse Who Doesn't Know Me All That Well when she asks, "How are you?"  I may have said something along the lines of:

I am sickly...miserably so, in fact.  I feel like tiny elves have insinuated themselves into my joints and are currently pounding away with their wee, little hammers.  My sinuses are throbbing and my ears are popping.  I hate my life and everyone who crosses my path.  And, since all those path-crossing people are sicker than me these days and have fevers to prove it, I am not getting the sympathy I feel is due me.  They're all, "wah-wah, I'm so sick and my temperature is over 100 so I don't have time to coddle your non-feverish, whiny self so go away.  This means is that no one is telling me I should go home and eat popsicles which is really all I want to do but I can't if no one tells me this is the best course of action so here I am without a fever but with lots of hammering elves and I am not happy...not happy at all.  How are you?

I'm supposed to be able to go back and face her again after that?  Really?

And then there's the whole thing where the New Nurse Who Doesn't Really Know Me All That Well And Was Unprepared For How I Be told me that she'd send the doctor in right away.  She didn't.  Or if she did, the doctor was busy attending to one of The Fever Folk and I wasn't really a priority.  Although you'd think that my crazy rant might have moved me up the list a bit.  Even if it was only to perform some sort of mental status check...

But, for all that, there are more reasons to stay.  The receptionist is amazing and knows each patient like a best friend.  She'll ask after the cat and admire your Waiting Room Sock.  That New Nurse has a pretty darned good sense of humor and was smart enough to not weigh my whining and just coming off vacation self.  That was a pretty good call.  The chairs are comfortable enough to allow for lounging and wielding knitting needles of varying lengths.  There is no Muzak pumped in and the clocks aren't hidden from sight.  We all know where we are and how long it's been since we got there.  We are considered responsible enough to handle the wait like adults and without distractions.

And my doctor, once she is finally able to make her way to my little corner of the Waiting World, knows me.  She knows me well.  When I launch back into my rant, she hears what she needs to hear.  She does not argue with me when I say that I want my "preemptive cocktail."   She also knows exactly what that means and will be writing the prescription for Zithromax and a codeine-based cough medicine before the words are even out of my mouth.  She and I both know that waiting for the fever to manifest is just asking for trouble.  The doc is on top of her game.  I don't even bother using yoga breathing to hide my chest wheezing anymore when she's listening to my lungs.  She know my game.  She's willing to play along, though.  And I appreciate that.  

But the main reason for staying on the patient roster of the doctor with limited time and parking is this:  She tells me to stay home, take my soothing yellow goo as needed and to rest.  Fever or not.  Then she places the final piece in the prescription puzzle...



She orders me to, "Relax on the couch and knit something."


SA

25 comments:

sheep#100 said...

She orders me to, "Relax on the couch and knit something."

I think I want your doctor.
And your insurance company that covers the yellow goo.

Feel better, Sheepie, only one more day until the glorious occurence known as the weekend.

Jacqui said...

i want your doctor too. mine uses my asthma against me to foist flu shots on me and other nasty things (and i still got the plague that has dragged Knoxville to a standstill - forcing school closures and general misery to all).

cheers to the weekend of rest and the lovely lovely knitterly progress on your pristine snow!

Knitting Linguist said...

Well, thank goodness *someone* recognizes a Sick Sheep when she sees one! I hope the couch/knitting prescription works wonders :)

Kris said...

I know I want your doctor. What is her address and what would the commute be like from Wisconsin, otherwise known as winter hell. (It is supposed to snow again tonight. Haven't the weather gods figured out that it is nearly March? I am well and sick of it all.)

Hope the yellow goo helps.

Lynne said...

Relax on the couch, knit something and... eat popsicles!!

Enjoy your weekend.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is a great doctor! Hope the goo helps you feel better. :)

Ronni said...

I hope you're following doctor's orders then. I might follow your doctor's orders too. They're more fun sounding than mine that's for sure.

April said...

I want a doctor that tells me to stay home and knit too! Inside of one that bundles me into a wheelchair for an embarrassing trip down the sidewalk.

Jeanne said...

I want a doctor that will tell me, "you can never work again—your constitution is much too frail. You must find yourself a rich man post haste and marry him at once!" then give me a prescription for a month in Cancun.

Your doctor is awesome. Prescribing wool therapy, and the only needles involved are for knitting!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like she knows exactly what you need. I'd keep going to her if she was my doctor. Also don't forget that the nurse gets paid to ask you how you are. It's her job.

Unknown said...

I know Dr. Judy, and she is a great mom. I even know how she felt about me buying Girl Scout cookies for you. Her daughter loved her teacher's order.
Take care of yourself, and stay out of the cold and snow. Get better soon as you will need to be at your best when your brother decides to do "Pay Back." Have asked him to wait until we get home, as I want to watch.
Get better soon.
Love ya,
Mom

Mia said...

I'd say instead of popsicles, since there's no ACTUAL fever yet.. you go the safe route and make yourself a slushy frozen margarita. That way if the fever DOES happen along.. you really won't care! Trust me.

Donna Lee said...

I love the cough syrup with codeine. It's what saved me this time. And I love my doctor who also says, "maybe you should stay home for a few days". Even when I don't have a fever.

Anne P said...

Okay - she IS a good doctor. Stick with her. Feel better!

Me - meh. I am switching since I never actually got to see a "real" doctor, just a PA, who... when I asked her things like "Will this drug combo cause renal failure?" replies "Ah! Good question........ I have no idea". And then doesn't bother to find out. Kinda important to have a liver, eh?

Unknown said...

Get better soon. Love you.
Dad

debsnm said...

There is just no substitute for a dr who knows you. I used to be able to call mine and say "It's my face again, I need antibiotics" and he'd call it in. Bastard moved. I hate him now. *pout*

Anonymous said...

BFK says Annie is a big doodoo poopie head. and meow

Sheila said...

What the?? Who left the anonymous comment?

Anyway, congrats on the new baby sheep, and on finding a doc who appreciates the therpeutic effects of knitting.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, isn't that what doctors are SUPPOSED to say? "Stay home and rest"? Force fluids, take aspirin for the fever (you can skip that one), and rest -- those are the three things to help your body deal with a nasty bug. Going to work just spreads the bug around, fills the doctor's waiting room even more, and generally makes everyone miserable. Yup, staying home to rest, that's the ticket.

Does your doctor make house calls to WUI?

Future SIL said...

Me too, me too; I want to watch. Hurry up and get better. :)

Geraldine said...

Get well soon Sheep and do take the Doc's advice...love it! Isn't knitting good for everything!

Huggs, G

Alwen said...

I am so coming to your house and stealing your sock yarn!

Knittymama said...

Oh yeah, she's a keeper!

Yarnhog said...

I would pay someone to tell me that. Daily.

Hope the soothing yellow goo has you feeling better soon.

Anonymous said...

I sure hope you are feeling better. Yellow Goo is good, but don't add the margarita. You might start hearing "voices." (I have to be careful of yellow goo because that's what happens to me;-).
I'm glad you are enjoying your prize yarn. Hope it helps you feel better real soon.
Take care Sheepie.