Being a man, the last person I ever
want to see is a doctor. However,
after having been sick for over a
week I finally decided to give in.
I hadn't slept for six nights due to
a bad cough. My lack of sleep only
added to the natural lethargy of a
prolonged and seemingly endless
bout of chest congestion. While
we've been in Manhattan for over
a year, I hadn't needed a physician.
So I hit google and quickly found
an Urgent Care Center nearby.
I don't know why I didn't go earlier.
The location was convenient, facility
modern, staff amenable, but what was
most important was nobody knew me.
Somehow not having practitioner who
knows you is actually quite wonderful.
I didn't have to endure lectures on all
the things I hadn't done since my last
visit. There was need to schedule my
next appointment. It was a transaction.
In and out. NO questions asked! And
for someone unwilling to admit they
were ill, that was fine with me!
After I filled out the usual paperwork,
we were led into an examination room.
Several courteous teenagers came in
and asked the rote questions. Finally
the doctor was in. A quite lovely and
friendly young woman, she carefully
examined me and patiently listened to
my ramblings. Ultimately her diagnosis
was that I had a virus that apparently is
quite debilitating and persistent. It was
not pneumonia, just a bug. Sadly there
is no magic pill to cure what ails you.
And that is a bitter pill to swallow...
Frankly, that's exactly the answer
that I expected. Somehow I knew
I was just going to have to muddle
through the pain. And yet somehow,
having a professional state just that
made me feel better. My generation
grew up thinking doctors were Gods.
The older I get, the more I realize
that they're people just like you and
me. Sometimes you need a friend to
tell you to relax, restore, and most
important, be patient. While I think
I'm Super Man, I'm all too human!
In the end what I really got from my
visit to the doctor was heavy dose of
peace of mind. While I still felt lousy
post my reluctant medical encounter,
at least I now understand what was
making me feel so bad. Add to that a
prescription for cough syrup with
CODEINE and all should be good!
Sadly even that couldn't facilitate a
good night's sleep. So, while I hate
to admit it, I'm going to have to work
my way through this. Oh... and listen
to Doctor Frank from the get go!