What's in a Doctor

Let's face it, I have seen a lot of Doctors, Nurses and Technicians over the past year and it is amazing how different they all are. From bedside care through to pain management.

Until I went to University I had the same family doctor, which my parents still have. He went above and beyond and you never felt rushed in his office, which might also explain the long waits in the waiting rooms. I have actually been through several doctors since then as they have either gone on to specialize in something else or just plain moved to a different city.

I have been lucky for the most part ..until now...  I have Dr. B. The one who couldn't tell me I had cancer. While people are curious as to why I don't dump him, I stay because he is out of a medical clinic and being a patient of the medical clinic allows you direct links to their specialists. While I prefer not to pit Dr against Dr, I will give you two scenarios and you can decide.

Scenario 1
I had been dreading going to see my family doctor, Dr. B as I hadn't seen him since the day he "kind of" told me I had cancer.  I have two cysts on my foot which have been there since before this whole story began, but they are now bothering my walking so it is time to go see about them.

I call and make the appointment and the lovely receptionist knows my name and books me right in. I show up 5 mins early and low and behold he is on time and I go right into a waiting room.  I look at the computer screen which says my name and : Last Date of visit July 22, 2011...D day in my books.

I quickly take a picture of this ...like I will ever forget it...then I wait...and wait....and wait. I do some texting and play on the Internet of my smart phone and continue to wait. I hear him in the room beside me and think..not much longer now. Then I hear the receptionist go into his office and say | Have you seen JJ yet..silence. Another 5 minutes go by and then he comes in, goes to the computer and brings up my chart. I take a look and the first line in bold letters is |BREAST CANCER MASS|

He turns to me and says, what can I do for you. I tell him about the cysts and he asks to see my foot, feels around and says...
Dr B: Who told you they were cysts
Me: No one, but they are round balls
Dr B: They might not be cysts, they might be a ganglion
Me: -I am thinking...are they not called ganglion cysts

He tells me that there is someone else here who he will refer me to..yeah...a referral. Get me out of here. He types in new notes asks if there is anything else and then his cell phone rings in his office and he is up and out. No...it`s been a year..how are you feeling...no bye...no nothing

Scenario Two
Off to have the results of my mammogram from my surgeon. Since I hadn`t been pushed up in appointments and I didn`t feel any different I assumed all was good. We go to the appointment and check in and are lead down to the room by a very funny East Indian lady and out into a waiting room..johnny shirt on, ties in the front.

I am changed for all of 5 minutes and the current resident of Dr. Ts comes in. Does and examination and asks
Resident: Do you have any pain
Me: just phantom ones
Resident: Do you have any nipple discharge
Me: ahh I don`t have a nipple
Resident;- laughter- I meant on the other one
Me: nope
Resident: Your mammogram was clean, but Dr. T will still want to see you

In walks Dr. T
Handshakes all around, remembers my husbands profession and jokes around while examining me, asks me about my prosthetic and whether it is bothering me and we talk about best ways to get to see a plastic surgeon faster. Says that everything looks good but he has a questions
Me: What
Dr. T: pokes me and say..not for you ,..shsh..for your husband...lots of laughter all around
Dr. T helps me sit up and tells me he will see me in a year after my next mammogram.

So there you go. All I hope is that my family doctor decides to move on to another city and I get someone who will at least read my chart prior to entering the room instead of forgetting me in the waiting room. Also, I have not heard about the referral yet and will propably have to call to ensure he put it in...sigh, what a difference a doctor can make.

Grow old with me

5 years ago I said "I do". I was one of those late bloomers who wanted to test the waters of the dating pool before jumping in to catch my fish. My mother got to the point that unless they made it to the 6 week mark she didn't want to know their name. It was really simple in my books, I wanted a guy like my dad. I had to date a lot of Mr. Wrongs to find one Mr. Right.

The first time B met my parents was the morning after we had celebrated his birthday. I had made lobster linguine and we went out on the town with his friends. He woke up the next morning and asked "What time will your parents be here" ...buzz..."ahh about NOW". So not only was he hung over but he went through the social graces of meeting my parents and watching my mother choose his leftover dinner for lunch<which I think he wanted to take home...and has never let me forget> .

I woke up one day 6 years later and decided that I was too old to call B my boyfriend anymore and it was time we got married. 6 months later B asked me to marry him<he is not one to cave under pressure>. I don't have a romantic proposal story but it is "us"

Christmas Eve lying in bed watching Spiderman. When the uncle gets shot, B turns to me and says
B: what are you doing in June?
Me: June? How do I know...that is 6 months away
B: Want to get married then
Me; No I don't want to get married in June, it's rainy..wait are you asking me to marry you?
B: yes
Me: I would rather September <I like to work out details before committing>
B: September would be fine too
Me: Then yes
B: Produces a homemade ring///which I still have/// but he later replaced it with the real version
Me: Ok then

Then we go back to watching the movie.....

So after 12 years together and 5 years of marriage our life ..for the most part ..has been easy. We have been through a lot in those past 12 years
- Death of friends and family
- Inability to have children
- Cancer with my mom, dad, cat and me
- Divorces and remarriages of family and friends
- Remodeling ..which can me more taxing on a marriage than any of the above
- Loss of a job
- Going back to school
-etc.

But through it all we have had lots of laughter, lots of tears and best of all.. lots of love. I never thought that when I took the vow of for better or worse that we would truly be tested to the limits on both ends.

Each time when I say good night I realize how lucky I am to have B in my life and as each day goes by it really does get better and better. I am glad I waited to marry my best friend and as we grow old and more aches and pains come along I am glad he is there to rub my feet and not want to throw me off a cliff...now that's love!