I had a doctor’s appointment today. Nothing wrong, just the regular checkup.
I had both the divine miss M and sweet baby J with me. This went fine, though it took us an hour to travel a distance that usually takes 20 minutes.
My face has been breaking out a bit lately. Past experience suggests the problem will go away when I stop nursing, and in any case, it would never occur to me to mention it in a physical. But the nurse brought it up, asking whether I had seen anyone about it. When I said “No,” she said incredulously, “Why?! You’ll scar you know!!!!”
Yes. I’m perched on the table in a paper gown, handing J his pacifier with one hand and helping M dial the Fisher-Price phone with the other and she’s acting like I’m medically negligent for not visiting the dermatologist.
And in spite of all that, my blood pressure was 80/60!
9 Responses to “at the doc”
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Asides
» I have been remiss in posting SBJ’s latest stats: 23 pounds and 27 inches at six months. Yes, I’ve got the big mama biceps.
» Aaaaaand little she-who-is lost another tooth this week!
» SBJ is four months old, 19 pounds 5 ounces, and 26 inches tall. GIGANTOR!
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Great bedside manner…
So sorry!
Oh for heaven’s sake….I have a feeling I might just have thumped her.
Congratulations on the low blood pressure, you are amazing. I think it’s brave of you to share this story. I wonder if you grew up with some of the same messages I got. In my very Christian home, the anti-vanity messages were Profound. So much so that when I saw a dermatologist for a yearly skin-check (I am very fair) was incredulous that I didn’t moisturize every day. She asked: Why not? I hated to say: Because I was taught that was vain. What she saw as basic health care, I saw as unnecessary and selfish. PS I now moisturize daily without feeling like a Jezebel!
The proper response would be:
“So, you are offering to babysit for free while I attend this life saving appointment?”
I hate doctors.
Sometimes I think other women are women’s worst enemies!
RM,
Please note that I read your blog prior to anything else when I see an email update (and I am so happy to be receiving them again). It helps to keep me in touch with so much spiritually, mentally, and yes even what is important physically.
My unsolicited second opinion is, “No, you won’t scar. You are correct, the acne is hormonal and will go away. I also agree that you have more important matters to attend to (two of whom were present with you).”
Thank you MD! (And this was a midwife with a huge LISTEN TO WOMEN button on her coat… sheesh)
Ruth, I too have fair skin as you know, so even a minor breakout looks bigger and angrier than it would.
I wouldn’t say I grew up with that message, really. We were probably your average American household. My parents (especially my mom) gave me lots of “beautiful just as you are” messages, but makeup was a part of the picture, as was laying out in the sun each summer, which was a pointless exercise for me. It’s just that dermatologists weren’t part of the picture at all, even in my most zit-ridden teen years. Home remedies and suffering through it were the course of treatment.
Sheesh indeed. Yes, a few more important things going on in your life. And I am way impressed with the blood pressure. I didn’t fare as well (not too high, just not my normal “can that be right?” reading) a week or so ago. That was after waiting TWO HOURS in the waiting room WITH the baby. She was charming. Me, not so much.
I’d have told her she had the pronoun wrong.