DOCTOR WOES
Isn’t it funny how every
time you visit the doctor, it’s as if they’ve never seen you before? And you have to fill out all those forms with
your life history…wonder if they compared all of my past ones, how much they would
vary from each other:
Last menstrual period: April 22, 2000
April 2000
April 2001
2000-2001?
a few years ago
can’t remember
I settle down with the
clipboard and a pen advertising the latest allergy medication, and carefully
write my full name at the top (names have been changed to protect the
innocent): EDWINA JANE TURMOIL. In full block letters, printed. When the page asks for my street address, I
write “Road” all the way out, elegantly.
But as the paper progresses,
I begin to tire. They want my name
again?? “Edwina J. Turmoil.” Still in capital letters, but not quite as
neat.
And again???! “Ed Turmoil,” cursive-written, let’s get it
over with. And by the way, I live on “Rd.” too!
Visiting the doctor’s office
is always a time of both eagerness and frustration for me, because I love to
read. And they have all those
interesting magazines that I do not have at my home. After the penance of filling out all the
history forms, I get to choose which magazine I would like to read– magazines
that stun me with amazing news I can’t believe I’ve been living without all
this time. Such as “Make-over your
bathroom in 30 minutes” or “Cosmetic tips that make you look younger.” And of course there are the “to die for” food
recipes.
But now the worry
begins. I’ve found the article I REALLY
want to read and/or that’s going to change my life, BUT: will I have time to read it before the nurses
call my name??? Hurry, hurry, skim,
skim!!
This time they called my
name right in the middle of learning about actress Fran Drescher and how she
has dealt with cancer. I didn’t know she
had cancer, I wonder what kind it is? .…sigh.
The Chickadee Feeder 