The Two Lucys See Dr. T

Today was Lucy#1’s first doctor’s appointment since she moved to Oklahoma. I made the appointment last week. I expected a fuss when I told her, but her reaction was resigned and sad. It broke my heart to see her little face when she said, “I wish you hadn’t done that.”

My primary care doctor takes Medicare patients, so now the Two Lucys have the same doctor! This Lucy thinks that’s pretty cool, but I am not convinced the other Lucy shares my enthusiasm. J The best things about us both seeing Dr. T are that he seems to be a fine doctor as well as quite personable, and that his office and nursing staff are simply wonderful. There are no duds in Dr. T’s office!

The appointment went well. The nurse and Lucy#1 joked around during the taking of the vitals and the completing of the exam-room paperwork, and the nurse didn’t flinch at all when she asked Lucy#1 if she smokes and the reply was, “YES!!!” in a rather loud-and-proud voice. So far, so good.

I’m not sure whether Lucy#1 is as well pleased with him as I am, but I now like Dr. T even better than before! He spoke to Lucy#1 with so much respect and courtesy, introduced himself as “Jim T” rather than “Dr. T,” gave her a hand up onto the exam table (and didn’t drop her like a hot potato when she told him in quite testy manner that she did not need any help), then suggested she sit back in the chair after the exam as it would be so much more comfortable while she waited for the nurse to take her for blood work, and helped her down from the exam table. Not only that, but (unlike any of her Texas doctors whom I met) he told her everything he was doing (“I’m going to listen to your lungs now. I’ll lift up your shirt in the back just a little bit.”), and answered the questions I asked. What a guy!!

The results of the visit with Dr. T:

• Chest x-ray taken (re: COPD) 
• Blood work done
• Oxygen level measured; weight recorded; blood pressure checked and pronounced good (with medication)
• BP medication prescription refilled
• Application for handicap placard in my hand
• Bone density appointment pending
• We found out that a patient taking blood pressure meds can take Allegra 30mg for allergies. (Yay! Maybe, if she will take the Allegra, she can cut down on her coughing and cough drop consumption.)

The funniest parts of the visit with Dr. T:

• Lucy#1 would not / could not wait patiently for the lab and x-ray techs to be available. She marched up and down the hallways, no doubt going where she should not have gone. The staff is apparently used to such behavior; no one said a word, but just walked around her and smiled at her.
• Lucy#1 gave me the Hairy Eyeball when I offered information she failed to mention, such as “the doctors at Baylor said you have COPD” and “she sometimes seems to have difficulty getting a good breath.” And, whoo-baby, the Super Hairy Eyeball when I asked about getting a handicap hanger for the car!!
• When we got to the checkout window, the receptionist was away from her desk. Lucy#1 waited about five seconds for her to reappear, then tapped on the glass. No one else (i.e., neither of the two ladies on the phone at other desks) came to the check-out window immediately, so Lucy#1 banged on the glass. I asked, “Would you like to go out and smoke, and I’ll wait here and get you checked out?” I couldn’t help but add, “That’s probably why you are so crabby.” Lucy#1 replied, “That’s not why I’m crabby. I’m crabby because I hate having to wait.” She left. I laughed.

When I had checked her out and made her follow-up appointment, I found Lucy#1 standing by my car and smoking. Knowing she was probably not all that thrilled with me, I got behind her, wrapped my arms around her, rested my head on her shoulder and said, “You love me! You may not want to, but you do! You love me!” in a sing-songy voice. She said, “Well! You know that’s true.” I said, “I know, but I like to remind you of it when you’re probably mad at me.” She gave me the Hairy Eyeball again, then grinned, and got in the car.

Whew!