I did a very grownup thing a couple weeks ago.
I went to my very own doctor appointment. Without my mommy.
She couldn't make it, so she gave me the insurance card and a copay and sent me on my way. Because I don't have my license yet, my grandma came with me and a few of my sisters tagged along, so I wasn't totally alone, but it was still weird.
Because when I finally found the stinking doctor's office (which, in fact, was not the ESD building...) I was told that my appointment really wasn't at 2:30, but 2:20. Then it took a while for her to verify things. Then I had to fill out a bunch of stuff.
As I scribbled in the spaces, the nurse came out. "Kaylee Beutler?"
I awkwardly stood up with my clipboard. "Do you want me to fill this out first?"
"No, just come on back." Then she mumbles, "You're already late, so..."
Ok, so at this point we aren't friends.
The door closes behind me and I'm all alone.
I uncomfortably followed her back to the scale, and she just waited by it expectantly. I just stood there like an amish kid in an elevator.
"Get on the scale."
They didn't use the stethoscope on me that day, but her icy voice had the same effect on my mood.
I stepped onto the scale and she demanded I put my hand out so she could hook that little oxygen-thingie to my finger.
"You need to put down your purse," she said flatly.
I just wanted to do what she said so she wouldn't hurt me, so I tried to put my purse down. Which wouldn't have been a problem, had she asked me before she hooked me to the oxygen-thingie. I didn't know what to do, so I awkwardly shrugged my purse off my shoulder and let it wait at my wrist, as it threatened to zipline down the cord that stood in its way to freedom.
Even though she didn't outwardly roll her eyes, I could sense her entire being casting itself up to the heavens and asking, "why me?"
She grimly announced which room I was in (Room 13, go figure), and I walked to it like a prisoner awaiting their execution.
Something told me it wasn't the end of this awkward encounter, and I was right.
Because she sat down and asked me all sorts of questions I didn't know and probably should have. I felt like I was on a trivia show for my own life and I was losing.
"Do you have any allergies to medication?"
"Um, Sulfa... I think..."
"You...think?"
"Well, I was a baby, so I don't really remember..."
"What pharmacy do you go to?"
"Uh... I'm not sure..." I laughed nervously. She looked at me like she'd just asked me my name and I gave her that answer.
"I think it's Fred Meyer...?"
"Ok... which one?"
At this point she hated me.
When the interrogation was over with, she huffed out of the room, but didn't take with her the awkwardness that staled the air.
I went through all that to be told I wasn't drinking enough water. (Which is good, actually). But... yeah.
I learned a little something that day: Never. I mean ever. Be late for a doctor appointment. Unless you need exercise and the kind of motivation being chased by an angry mob can give you.
Your stories make me smile (okay, laugh). =) Thank you for sharing your sagas with us (even though they seemed to be the end of the world when they happened =P)!
ReplyDelete~Esther
ooohh this story makes me sooo glad that i have never needed to go to the doctors!! this made me laugh! :) glad to know that you are OK!
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys!
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's always that level of awkwardness at Doctor's appointments that never completely goes away, but this one was the exception for me. :P I just figured she was mad at me for being late and throwing them off schedule. >_<