Friday, September 29, 2006


A Day At The Doctor..

I spent the whole day at the doctors office yesterday. It was an hours drive, exhausting, fighting through so much of traffic and finally we get there. This is a new specialist I am seeing for my back. He is located in Beverly Hills, thought there would be some star sighting but did not. Actually if it was night time I would have seen many stars because it was a clear beautiful starry night.

First you enter a large waiting room, sign your name in, my appointment time was 12 noon look at the list ahead of my name, and there are 5 names signed in for 1130 and 3 for 12 noon. So according to my calculation even if the doctor spends 10 minutes with each patient and 5 minutes chatting with the nurses that takes my appointment time to 2pm. Well there was nothing else to do but look around the room, pretend to be happy you are there and smile.
I settle myself as best I can in the big chair, I have a hard time sitting so I had to crunch my feet up, tried not to offend anyone and just leaned my head on "J"s big shoulders, actually I think it was his big arm because I don't think my head will reach his shoulders, I am only 5ft and he is 6'2". So you can get a picture of what it actually looked like.

Looking around the room I see many people, most of them appeared bored, few were irritated at the long wait. The only saving grace was that the chairs were comfortable, the air was cool and there was a plasma TV . One can only stare at the TV for only a short time, with only soaps being aired and no sound, you had to mouth read to figure out what was going on. Anyway we saw some of the soap stars that we had not seen since the last 15years, reminisced about how they appear to look the same, even the old people had not aged.( I personally think its plastic surgery and Botox.)

Finally I hear my name being called, I was all excited, I look at the clock it is 1.45pm. not bad I say to myself actually I am 15mins early even though my appointment was at 12. I go into this smaller room. You think you are going to be seen right away, but no, this is just another small waiting room, a private one. I lie on the exam table and wait, and wait and wait. I can hear the Doctor talking to the patient in the next room, I listen to his footsteps and take a deep breath thinking I am next, but he has gone past my room to another, so I just wait. I can see J getting impatient, and restless but finds comfort in a Newsweek even if it is one that he has already read.

In walks a little guy with a white long coat that looks like he is wearing a dress. " welcome " he says .I am Dr"A" I am going to ask you a few questions and then Dr "B" will be in. I figure this must be a resident or an Intern . He asks a hundred questions, twists my body into multiple positions, up and down, right side and left side, tippy toe and heel low. taps on my knees and hits on my ankles. Writes a few things down which I am dying to read, but I cant because he has his back turned to me.

Finally the famous Dr "B" arrives, with his long blond flowing hair and his English accent. He reviews what Dr "A" had written , explains that he has seen the MRI and he can help me back on my feet. I am thrilled hoping maybe they can take me in right now and have my surgery done, but my spirits were dampened when he said he needed another MRI and a Disco gram done. The Disco gram is going to be done on Monday and the MRI next week. So I have to wait for another two weeks to find out when I am going to have my surgery.

We leave the office, they even have Valet parking so that was nice, we stop and have lunch because we were starving, and try to figure out how I am going to get there on Monday. "J" may have to take another day off.

I was disappointed because there is still another wait, but it was OK. Even though it was a long day, I got to spend a whole day with "J". It was nice and I have another nice long day to spend with him on Monday. He was especially nice and said he enjoyed the day with me even if it was spent at the Doctors office.

106 comments:

Jotabello 9:34 AM  

Hey... great new look!! Ur blog looks fantastic now!
MMm... I hate my visits to the doctor (especially when they are like Dr. A and Dr. B). ji ji
See ya soon... bye.

starry 9:52 AM  

Thanks Jonathan..do stop by again.

karmic 10:30 AM  

Oy! That was such a long day for ya. Hope all goes well with the tests going forward and you get the back fixed.
My longest wait was 4 hours when I was at the ER. The doc visits haven't been bad, not had to wait as long as you...yet.

Twisted DNA 10:35 AM  

Oh that's sad you had to go back on Monday. Some times it is so frustrating that the doctors take their time to get things done while are daying to get over with something.

I hope everything goes well for you.

Suman Pant 11:16 AM  

J seems to be so cute n so much in love with you. 6'2" and 5.... wow... u guys make such a cute couple!

awww..... i hope your back is fixed soon. Dun worry, i am about to go for trek... i will tie a prayer flag for you if i can... or maybe just pray for you infront of a prayer flag tied by someone else.... take care.

Id it is 1:32 PM  

There's always that silver lining! It's only a matter of finding it. I have to admit that I quite like doctor's offices because the minute I enter one I start to feel a whole lot better!... believe it or not!
Hang in there. "This too shall pass"

starry 1:39 PM  

Sanjay..cant wait, I hope everything goes well.thanks.

starry 1:40 PM  

Twisted DNA..thanks.

starry 1:41 PM  

Eclipsed thoughts..yes we make a pretty funny pair. listen thanks for thinking of me, and wanting to tie a prayer flag.thats one of the things I really want to do when I am well.I will definitely tie one for you when I get there. have fun on your trek and take care of yourself.

starry 1:42 PM  

Id it is..thank you.

Prasanna Parameswaran 2:49 PM  

all the best! hope you smoothly get through this and feel rejuvenated after the surgery! BTW, I read your sons poem - very very nice! :)

starry 2:53 PM  

Indian angel..thank you.

Prasanna Parameswaran 3:54 PM  

Hey lalitha: I left the translation for my tamil poem in my comments! :) Now you can leave me a comment :)

Margie 4:23 PM  

Well at least you got to spend the whole day with "J."
He sounds like a great husband!
Hoepully soon... you will have the surgery done...waiting is hard...
It is much harder when one has pain!
Wishing all the best for you Starry!
Hope all goes well on Monday!
Take care...
and have a nice weekend!

Margie

Rajesh &Shankari 6:43 PM  

Hope your tests go well and you are up and running pretty soon. Nice to note that J felt the same way as u did. Have a nice monday, you should maybe take a picnic basket and stop along the way some place nice....

Anonymous,  7:57 PM  

Hmmm...i can undersatnd lalitha, how it feels when these sort of things just get extended like this. Hope the tests r done on time and they give the date of operation soon after. Take care my friend!

Suji 8:24 PM  

Hope all your tests and surgery goes well. All the best. I hate going to the doctor so I know how u must have felt. Take care.

starry 9:58 PM  

Indianangel..thanks I am going to read it.

starry 9:58 PM  

Thanks margie..you have a good weekend too.

starry 9:59 PM  

Shankari..thank you

starry 9:59 PM  

Raj..I hope everything gets done soon.take care and have a good wekend.

Lisa Johnson 10:00 PM  

Best of luck with the next appointment. I hope you can have the surgery soon.

starry 10:00 PM  

Suji..thank you.I am used to going to the doctors but still dread every visit.

Hip Grandma 10:21 PM  

your back seems to bother you a lot.Did you try acupuncture.A friend of mine from Cerritos,La is happy with the outcome for her shoulder pain.BTW I've tagged you.Please take it up.

The Kid 12:23 AM  

If you need surgery I guess you must be in a lot of pain. Boy, I hope your get well soon.

Deepak Gopi 1:45 AM  

Apple a day ,keeps the doctor away

Alex 4:49 AM  

You have been tagged!

ufukhati 7:40 AM  

A day to enjoy.

Take a cup tea, two pieces of poems and sit by the window. After drinking the tea, recite the poems.

And sleep well.

Mr. J 10:26 AM  

J sure has some patience huh... I'm yet to visit the doc for a medical check up.. week 2 and I still ain't going :D

Anonymous,  6:32 PM  

Starry:

I just don't like visiting and waiting for a long time. But we do need patience when ppl' tkae their own time.

Hope u feel better after the visit. Tk.

starry 7:57 PM  

Anali..thank you .

starry 7:59 PM  

Preeta..yeah, my back is not good, I had a back injury , Physical theraphy and accupuncture did not help, even had many epidural shots.So the next treatment is surgery I have been told.Thanks for the tag.I think I did this one before but I will do it again.

starry 8:00 PM  

The Kid..thanks.The pain is bearable.

starry 8:00 PM  

Deepak..thanks.you are sweet.many apples have I eaten,but the back problem could not be beaten.

starry 8:01 PM  

Alex..thanks. I will check the tag out.

starry 8:02 PM  

Ufukhati..thanks.sounds like a good solution,and worth a try.

starry 8:03 PM  

John..two weeks and no appointment for a check up.We all do this, have time for everything else but neglect the physical.Its better to get a check up and make sure everything is OK.

starry 8:04 PM  

Priya..thanks.We do need patience,thats for sure.

passerby55 8:58 PM  

Even though it was a long day, I got to spend a whole day with "J".

yes, that is important to understand and also to appreciate it.

hey, cheer up all shall be fine soon...

take care. lalitha

Scoot 9:14 PM  

I know how boring and clinical it is to wait for a doc!
hope you get over with it soon and be restored back to great health
cheer up :)

Kuan Gung 9:31 PM  

My...my starry, every time I visit I'm greeted by a new page...how do you do that?

Anonymous,  9:57 PM  

Be careful with these doctors, most tell you you need all sorts of tests and surgeries, just so they or the hospital will make lots of money ( from you or health insurance). In most cases, you don't need any surgeries and can get ok normally, so just check out other options first.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. 10:36 PM  

What an ordeal. Hope your back is on the mend.

The words at the top of your site are from How Great Thou Art...I believe.

Neer 11:47 PM  

J is cute!! :) and heyyy, thats how my parents look like... ma is just 5!!
and heyy, all the best!

Blessed 6:15 AM  

ahhh a day of going to the doctor...what fun. yes, I'm being sarcastic. *smile*
I spend everyday at the doctors office since I work for 4 specialists (4 retinal specialist)
alot of the time it is chaotic since we deal with emergencies everday--metal in the eye, or a nail in the eye, or bungee cord accident, or paintball accident or retinal detachment, bad contagious infections, etc.
I feel so bad for the people who have to wait. Even after 7 years of seeing people try to be as patient as they can be or not, it still bothers me.
I always bring a good book---but since I work for ophthalmologists and the patients eyes are dialated I can't give them that piece of advice since they are already having eye problems!!
Newsweek is my favorite magazine to read should I forget my book.

Good luck with your doctor's appointments and especially your back!!
Blessings!

Sunil Parashar 6:39 AM  

Oops!!! Patience is one thing i lack!!
Hope your problem gets cured soon & you are fit n fine.
Your husband must be very patient person.... :)

Lori 7:44 AM  

I am sorry to hear that you had to spend the day at the doctors. It was nice to here you enjoyed your time with J.

seriously_frivolous 8:28 AM  

Hi Starry nights,
Been long. Hope you are doing fine apart from of course your back.

"Waiting rooms" ..huh..tell me about it. The entire room has been specially designed to "wait" and what else can you expect. But the good thing when your name is called, you have this excitement in your face and immediately take a quick glance and the other poor souls waiting with a sly smile..ya of course only to reach a smaller waiting room. Been there done that :)

starry 3:42 PM  

Passerby..thanks.

starry 3:43 PM  

Maya.thank you.you are a doc you know how the waiting room is.

starry 3:45 PM  

Kuan..yes another new look. I really dont do this, my blogger friend Yogi, did the template and since it was too dark we made the background white.which one do you like?

starry 3:46 PM  

Cyberkitty.thanks for the advice and things like that have happened.But I have exhausted all sorts of treatments, my only remaining option is surgery.I need to get well and be myself again, take those dancing lessons.

starry 3:47 PM  

Don..thanks. Yes those lines are from How great thou art.I love that hymn.

starry 3:48 PM  

Blessed.thanks. so you know what waiting rooms ae like. I am not complaining but when you are in pain and have a hard time sitting it is hard.

starry 3:49 PM  

Sunil..thanks. he is patient.and I was glad he was with me.

starry 3:49 PM  

Lori..thanks.welcome to my blog and please do come again.

starry 3:51 PM  

Neers..thanks.how tall is your pa?

starry 3:53 PM  

Seriously frivolous..thanks.Waiting rooms are just that a room to wait.hopefully I will be well and will not have to deal with waiting rooms for too long.

b v n 6:31 PM  

"He was especially nice and said he enjoyed the day with me even if it was spent at the Doctors office" - so thats the whole point.... hehehehe...between us [are you really sick ?]

you wrote it pretty well neways :))

hope and love 8:37 PM  

hmmmm.. J must be very sweet..

:))
hope everything works out well..
il pray for u..

Ganesh Ranganathan 10:15 PM  

Looks like you 'enjoyed' your visit to the doctor.....

Strictly for my friends 12:10 AM  

Your blog looks great and I'm glad I can comment now. The last time I came by you had posted your tag and I couldnt comment. :(

Why do you need a surgery? It sounds scary!

dumbdodi 12:40 AM  

I wish you well, hope you get into perfect health soon...
.
About doctors 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but if the doctor is handsome and dashing keep the apple away' ;-).....

Jeevan 2:54 AM  

Let's hope your next visit will not be delay! Wish your surgery will go without pain:)
Waiting for our turn in the Doctor's clinic is irritate, if we suffer from sick it's worst.

Dh@v@! 5:36 AM  

Hope everything go well
take care buddy
BTW ur page looks toooo good...

starry 7:15 AM  

Bvn..Yes I am really sick,I would not make up a sick story.nobody likes to be sick.

starry 7:15 AM  

Bvn..Yes I am really sick,I would not make up a sick story.nobody likes to be sick.

starry 7:15 AM  

hope&Love..thank you.I need all the prayers I can get.

starry 7:17 AM  

Ganesh..sometimes in life you have to make everything enjoyable even the visit to the doctor,complaining about it makes it worse.

starry 7:18 AM  

Strictly for my friends.thanks for coming back again.I have a back injury and need two discs replaced.so I am going to have back surgery soon.Not too bad really.It could be worse.

starry 7:20 AM  

Dumdodi..thank you.

starry 7:21 AM  

Dumbdodi..I like that poem.The doctor is handsome ,I think I should keep the apple away.

starry 7:22 AM  

Dh@v@..thank you. so you like my new template.courtesy of Yogi.

Alex 8:55 AM  

At times, yes evil is felt, though in varying degrees.

Revathi 1:15 PM  

Prayers with you.. come back after surgery ready to run !!! :)

QUASAR9 3:36 PM  

Wow! Love the dancing!

Jayashree 7:44 PM  

Lalitha, hope everything goes well for u...am sending some positive thoughts your way.
There's a Seinfeld episode that talks about waiting at a docs office and going from the large waiting room to the smaller one.

deepsat 8:04 PM  

that was a long wait!! i hate visits to the doctor!!

wish sometime i can only ask the doctor like how bugs bunny does it...

"eeeh!! whats up doc??"

;-))

Kai 8:41 PM  

i hate visiting the doctors...well at least u got company

Aditi 8:45 PM  

I missed this entry for some reason..
Anyways hope the discogram went well and the MRI goes well.
It would be super nice to have u on your feet soon
=)
I dont get why doctors cant just give appointments rationalyl.. so u dont have to wait so long.. its something universal abt them

Artnavy 9:29 PM  

hope ur back does not ache too much
i dislike waiting anywhere

like the new look- for a moment i thought i had gone to the wrong blog

Margie 9:45 PM  

Starry
How did everything go today with the Dr. visit?
Hope it wasn't another all-day event!
Take care of yourself!

Margie

hillgrandmom 12:54 AM  

all the best for your MRI. I'm 5'1/2" and my husband is 6'1"!

hillgrandmom 12:56 AM  

Incidentally, I know what it can be like waiting at the Doc's waiting room :( We've been through that several times with my son.

Prash 3:05 AM  

Hello there,

I am back, shall read your posts ASAP,
Cheers,
prash

starry 9:45 AM  

Alex..you are right.

starry 9:46 AM  

Revathi..thank you so much.I need all the prayers I can get.

starry 9:46 AM  

Quasser9..Me too. love the dancing.Need to learn how.

starry 9:48 AM  

Jayshree. thanks. I is so true. you go from a large one to a smaller one, the only difference is the smaller one is private, and than God fo rthat bcause most times you are half naked.

starry 9:48 AM  

Deepsat..thanks. so true, I feel like saying whats up doc?

starry 9:49 AM  

Aditi..thanks. The discogram was painful after the proceedure, I spet thru most of it under anesthesia, I go to the MRI today .

starry 9:50 AM  

Kai..thanks. I am really glad I had J with me.

starry 9:50 AM  

Artnavy..thanks. same person but new look. courtesy of yogi.

starry 9:52 AM  

Margie..It was almost an all day event, left home at 10.30 and got back after 5pm. I think it went well woke up in the recovery room not knowing it was all done, I was supposed to have pain during the proceedure but I was asleep. that was good.

starry 9:53 AM  

Hill grandmom..OMG you are a couple like us. I think opposites do attract, I have seen so many short people with tall guys.

starry 10:10 AM  

Prash..welcome back.I am glad HIs Majesty Has arrived. His subjects have been waiting.take care.

Movie Mazaa 10:36 AM  

Aww!!! Those visits I despise like anything!! :(

And reading thru ur post, I felt like I was right there waiting for the ordeal to be over and done with ASAP! :)

delhidreams 4:39 AM  

a day spent in the company of your loved one is a blessing, may your life be filled of love always...

Yogi 11:29 AM  

hug, i wish i could do this tag, but six weird things about me will just attract a lot of attention starry thanks tho!i will do a tag one of these days..glad you like the blue :)

Gauri 12:21 AM  

Hope the tests turn out OK and that you feel better soon.

Good Luck !!

Robyn 7:56 PM  
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Robyn 7:57 PM  

Hello there!

Your "J" sounds wonderful, supportive and so loving! I hope you resolve your back issue soon and everything goes well on Monday! I'm sure soon you'll feel better and 100% before you know it!

All the best,
Robyn

starry 2:11 PM  

Velu..thank you

starry 2:11 PM  

Adi..thank you

starry 2:12 PM  

Gauri..thank you

starry 2:12 PM  

Robyn..thankl you

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