I walked into the office the other day while Boomer was there and we began to make small talk. He asked how I was doing and I told him I had to see the doctor for my knee, because I’m having knee-replacement surgery in March. Boomer started to laugh and asked, “Just how many doctors do you have? You’re always seeing some doctor, and you act like it’s no big deal. You know, not everybody sees as many doctors as you do.”
“Boomer, I have CF! I’ve had a transplant. I have doctors but not that many, really,” I replied.
Boomer was right; it does get to be funny sometimes. Like when I was wheeled into the O.R. to have my gall bladder removed and the anesthesiologist called me by name. WTH? He said he remembered me from my transplant when he served as one of three anesthesiologists. Or, when I go in for some other procedure and various nurses and techs walk by and casually say, “Well, hi there, Jerry. What’re you in for this time?” like I’m a regular at the bar and they’re asking if I want the usual. That’s when you know you’ve been in just a few too many times!
Boomer got me thinking, though, and wondering about just how many doctors I do have, so here’s what I came up with. Compare it to your own list. You know, we’ll do a “I’ll show you my scar if you’ll show me yours,” kind of thing. Just for grins.
So here’s the list. And, just so you know, I don’t call them by their names; I call them according to what they do. So, there’s my:
- Transplant Surgeon
- Transplant Coordinator
- Transplant Pulmonologist
- CF Doctor
- Liver Lady
- Skin Man
- Sinus Guy
- Knee Surgeon
- Diabetes Doctor
- Gastorenterologist
- Urologist
- Dentist
- Heart Specialist
- Infections Disease Guy
- Vascular Doctor (for my port)
And that’s not even counting all the therapists, technicians, nutritionists and other specialists I see regularly. Notice there’s no primary care doc. Who needs primary care when I have a specialist for everything? The knee docs are for the pounding my knees have taken from running and pole-vaulting for years, but most of these professionals are just a part of living life with CF and being post-transplant.
*Exercise of the Week – 60 Sit-ups daily (4 sets of 15)
*Quote of the Week – “Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do ‘practice’?” – George Carlin
