Just Don’t Call Me “Jimmy”
December 5th, 2005 by rsm
Let’s see… it seems I am on more and more committees as each week passes. Today I knew would be a long one, which is why I hoped to get out of some of it by making a morning Dr. appointment. Let’s just say I’ve been grumpy today. If you are easily offended or otherwise squeamish, go read an older post. Otherwise, here’s why:
This morning’s appointment was for a general skin check. My family has a history of skin cancer, and though I do not, I just thought it important. However, there was also something I was concerned about in a more… personal… zone…
Well I’m hip with the whole being naked thing. It’s no big deal. It’s part of the reason I work out a bunch, too, just in case I get caught that way some time. Still, having to sit there with nothing on but a paper sheet, no gown, nothing, in a cold office for a half an hour was a bit disturbing. I also know I heard my chart pulled from the door a few times, which meant someone wasn’t ready to deal with me yet.
After a while an attractive female PA and a nurse entered just as I was… adjusting… which was also unnerving. They found an irregularly shaped spot on my back they wanted to have biopsied. Then they both came in for a… closer look. It wouldn’t have been as insulting if the PA hadn’t put on one of those headgear magnifying glasses-things. I mean… come on!!! It was just a little cold in there!
“I’m a bit concerned by what little bit I can see,” she said.
She could have put it another way.
Within a few minutes I was on my back, and in spite of the cold, sweating quite heavily as the anesthetic was injected… then the “procedure”… (”oh I can just use the small blade”)… and finally the cauterizing. I barely was listening to the wound care instructions about the mole on my back and other components because they kept using the terms tiny, insignificant, and little. “Oh just put a little ointment on that. No band-aid… that would be too much.”
It had to have been on purpose.
Memo to healthcare staff: Throw us a bone here, so to speak. When cutting off a part of our lower enlisted ranks, please have the decency to NOT use certain terms that might minimize the size of our discomfort… or just size in general.
Memo to certain of my officer “friends”: Pulling out the Playboy after I told you about what happened wasn’t very nice. Tacky. Yes, I believe that is the word I am looking for.
An hour later I noticed the anesthetic wore off… during a meeting. No longer was I tolerant of anything other than what was on the agenda… that’s right, no small talk.
Let’s see… it seems I am on more and more committees as each week passes. Today I knew would be a long one, which is why I hoped to get out of some of it by making a morning Dr. appointment. Let’s just say I’ve been grumpy today. If you are easily offended or otherwise squeamish, go read an older post. Otherwise, here’s why:
This morning’s appointment was for a general skin check. My family has a history of skin cancer, and though I do not, I just thought it important. However, there was also something I was concerned about in a more… personal… zone…
Well I’m hip with the whole being naked thing. It’s no big deal. It’s part of the reason I work out a bunch, too, just in case I get caught that way some time. Still, having to sit there with nothing on but a paper sheet, no gown, nothing, in a cold office for a half an hour was a bit disturbing. I also know I heard my chart pulled from the door a few times, which meant someone wasn’t ready to deal with me yet.
After a while an attractive female PA and a nurse entered just as I was… adjusting… which was also unnerving. They found an irregularly shaped spot on my back they wanted to have biopsied. Then they both came in for a… closer look. It wouldn’t have been as insulting if the PA hadn’t put on one of those headgear magnifying glasses-things. I mean… come on!!! It was just a little cold in there!
“I’m a bit concerned by what little bit I can see,” she said.
She could have put it another way.
Within a few minutes I was on my back, and in spite of the cold, sweating quite heavily as the anesthetic was injected… then the “procedure”… (”oh I can just use the small blade”)… and finally the cauterizing. I barely was listening to the wound care instructions about the mole on my back and other components because they kept using the terms tiny, insignificant, and little. “Oh just put a little ointment on that. No band-aid… that would be too much.”
It had to have been on purpose.
Memo to healthcare staff: Throw us a bone here, so to speak. When cutting off a part of our lower enlisted ranks, please have the decency to NOT use certain terms that might minimize the size of our discomfort… or just size in general.
Memo to certain of my officer “friends”: Pulling out the Playboy after I told you about what happened wasn’t very nice. Tacky. Yes, I believe that is the word I am looking for.
An hour later I noticed the anesthetic wore off… during a meeting. No longer was I tolerant of anything other than what was on the agenda… that’s right, no small talk.
Just a tiny bit humiliated? Oops… sorry, man.
Hope you find out all is fine… in short order.
perhaps finding out everything’s okay will be worth the humiliation…
Some doctors wear glasses for a reason. I personally think thats why Eric has a thing for women with glasses… They can’t see too good.
Me, I’ve got a thing for blind women.
Hope all’s well man.
Oh dear. hugs, hon. But I agree. Some doctors have lousy bedside manners.
Meager Triflings such as that should not phase you. Dont let the piddling doctors annoy you with sucha trivial thing.
I hate going to doctors and wearing only paper.
Take heart, at least if they used the small blade, the mistake could be small. If they used the BIG blade, wow… those mistakes may not be fixable!
Dude…hate it for ya! You need to find some lil nurse willing to kiss it and make it all better for ya.
I’d NEVER call you Jimmy!
And ouch. I think Kelly’s right…you’re in need of the kiss and make it better method of treatment.