I am NOT a Patient!

I love doctors, they are generally funny, smart and comforting. However, this is only when I work with them do I like them. When I am the patient I HATE them, knowing that they have no idea that I work in healthcare.

Yesterday I had an appt with a doctor that I actually work with (actually his non-surgical colleague) about a shoulder injury I have. She ordered xrays, and while I was getting them my shoulder was slipping from socket. The X-ray techs kept begging me to make it stop, but the injury consists of a slipping from socket, painful spasming until it falls back into place and then pain throbbing and shooting afterwards. As they went to hold my shoulder in place for one of the xrays the tech placed her hands on my shoulder and her eyes widened. "WOA!" She said, beconing the other tech over. "You have got to feel this." They both played with it and then looked to me. "Doesn't that hurt?" I shook my head and they both looked at each other with a look I could read like a book. "If that doesn't hurt I would hate to see it when it does hurt."

The doctor did her basic assessment and I could tell she thought I was full of crap until she started to do comparisons with the other shoulder. As she stood behind me and wiggled my shoulders she too exclaimed. "Woa, there is a definite difference." She had her student feel and I suddenly realized what was going to be said.

An hour later I was lying in an MRI machiene, headphones blaring a crappy excuse for a country radio station and trying not to breathe 'too big' as the scan kept chugging away with the constant 'thud thud thud thud.' My mind was racing as fast as the imaging was and I was not thrilled with what needed to be done, but it had to be if I ever wanted to be a paramedic. My mind wandered back to the conversation after all my options had been reviewed.

My fiance and I stared at each other, both sharing the same expression of frusteration and despair. I had two options 1. another 3 months of PT after I had done 6 months before and then a year of weight lifting with a routine that was made for rebuilding torn muscle. or 2. get an MRI and then go talk to the shoulder surgeon. Little did this doctor know that the shoulder surgeon was actually in a room with a patient as I was hooking this patient up to a shoulder CPM. As I tried to attach him to it my shoulder rolled and the surgeon told me 'you need to schedule an appt with me ASAP.' After a long conversation I realized I had to do the MRI and the consult if I ever wanted to safely continue to care for patients.

I have yet another appt today, with a whole different doctor, and I am NOT looking forward to it. Next week I meet with the surgeon. I am not a patient patient!