I offered the contents of my medicine cabinet and some wine or beer to take the edge off the stresses of the day. She suggested chocolate. I ALWAYS have chocolate, so she came over and we commiserated. I heard about how her son went into the exam room but lost it for some reason when he saw the scale. He left the exam room, screaming, but unbeknownst to her, he also left the building. Luckily, amazing Dr. F trailed right after him, all the way to the car.
They tried an exam with petite Dr. F reaching around from the back seat to try to listen to her son's heart, all while he was screaming. Dr. F. probably suffered some hearing loss, but he's not the type to sweat or resent that.
The comi-tragedy of the failed exam was capped off with Nurse M's coming out to greet L's son, because she could not have him leave without her giving him her usual warm greeting.
I listened and laughed. It was all so wonderfully absurd, frustrating, ridiculous and familiar. To have a doctor who gets it, who will follow your son out to the car and try to do a back-to-front exam is something special, something only parents like L and I get to experience. People like Dr. F are unsung heros, except to parents like us. Yes, he has a disabled daughter, so maybe he's hard-wired for compassion in this regard, but Nurse M doesn't, so there's something else going on.
Whatever it is, L and I know to be profoundly grateful for it, to laugh over it, and to drown the lingering effects of a tough day in chocolate.
1 comment:
You relay the story so well, Nina. Dr. F really is a kind soul. Thanks for the Godiva and the company. It was a perfect way to unwind after an emotional day. You know my motto, "expect the unexpected". It certainly makes life interesting!
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