Physician, "Heal Thyself": Pt. lVe Dr A

I know that I'm not trying to ‘play’ doctor.

I'm just trying to be an informed advocate for my mother. I also know that Dr A has tons of patients…good for him. I’m hoping he’s making buckets of money and buying more Ferragamo shoes.

But, I only have one (patient-not pairs of shoes) so Miss Cathy is my one and only focus.

“She came in saying that she could not see and that is what I am focused on.” Dr A said self-righteously during our telephone conversation.

“Yes, that’s true but when she came in I also told you that she’s confused and yes, I-know-that-having-difficulty-seeing-would-be-stressful-for-anyone but this is more than that, that’s why we came to you for help”, I said.

I could not believe I had to explain myself to this asshole.

The conversation continued (and believe me) it did not get much better. We agreed that she’d come back to his office in three days time and he would examine her again and explain the MRI results.

Interestingly enough I got a call the next morning from Dr A’s assistant telling me that he wanted Miss Cathy to go back to the hospital for an MRA (something he never mentioned during our ‘chat’ on the phone).

I had to wonder if my insistence on his doing something hadn’t prompted the additional brain scan.

Back in his office a few days later Dr A told us that (unfortunately) the MRA was just as inconclusive as the MRI so he said that he would confer with Dr S, the ophthalmologist.

I (unfortunately) had the same misfortune to spend several days leaving voicemail for Dr S (these guys must be reading from the same ‘script’) trying to follow up with him.

When Dr S finally retuned my call he told me that he never heard from Dr A (quelle surprise) but suggested it was time that I take Miss Cathy to (get this) yet another doctor (this one a “Low Vision Specialist”).

So, another appointment was made for a potential addition to Miss Cathy’s ‘team’ of doctors.

As for Dr A, it was becoming very clear what roles we each played in this little ‘doc’udrama.

And if you asked me (…and you didn’t but I’m gonna tell you anyway) Dr A seemed to be missing too many of his cues.

He may be the Doctor and I just the Son of the patient but I’m also Miss Cathy’s ‘Legal Primary Caregiver’ making me the Director of this little production.

And as the director I thought it was time (way past time in fact) to hold auditions and recast some one new into the role of Neurologist.

My Life Coach back in New York said to me many years ago, “If you don’t like the story that you’re telling, you have the power to rewrite it anytime you want”…and in this case that’s just what I intended to do.