Inappropriate Comments
One of my patient's grandmothers...two days in a row mind you...made the following comments:
1) "How long have you been a pediatrician?" I go through the whole "I'm a resident" song and dance. And she follows this up with, "Because you look about fourteen." Uh...okay...
2) She's been staring at me the whole time I'm in the room examining her new grandson and she suddenly burst out, "Dr. Quinn!" "Huh?" "I have been trying to figure it out. That's who you look like. You know, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." I'm pretty miffed my this one. Especially since my right eye was mysteriously swollen (no longer mysterious--was a dust mite allergy) at the time and I was pretty sensitive to my loss of facial symetry. So, without really thinking as much as I should have, and remembering Jane Seymour has something funny with HER eyes, I say "My eye isn't always swollen like this. I am not a domestic violence case, you know." Now it's her turn to be miffed and she's sort of taken aback, "No, I mean...she's really pretty. And you look like her. It's a compliment." Maybe but I think I look nothing like Jane Seymour. I took one of those facial feature look-alike celebrity things on line and came up with Gwenyth Paltrow...don't look like her either, but I like that one better.
Next few days of the patient's stay. No grandmother. Hope I didn't scare her off...sort of.
Pretend the labels aren't there and see if you can figure out which one is me. I know it's tough. Since we look so much alike and all.
Oh, and then the following day in clinic, another patient made the following comment (this, mind you after we'd been through many of the intimate details of her life), "Can I ask you a personal question?" I am wary from my experience with the grandmother, but I sort of glance up in assent. "Why do women doctors never wear face make up?" What?!? "Not that you need it. Because you don't." She back-pedals like she's being chased by a rabid skunk, "It's just that I have noticed that no women doctors wear foundation. Not that they have to. I've just noticed." I sort of laugh it off and try not to let my disbelief reach my facial expression. "I guess we just don't have time to put it on...nor really want to." And back to business. Serioulsy, in what universe is it okay to ask a stranger these things. Frontal lobe disorders much? Cripes!
1) "How long have you been a pediatrician?" I go through the whole "I'm a resident" song and dance. And she follows this up with, "Because you look about fourteen." Uh...okay...
2) She's been staring at me the whole time I'm in the room examining her new grandson and she suddenly burst out, "Dr. Quinn!" "Huh?" "I have been trying to figure it out. That's who you look like. You know, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." I'm pretty miffed my this one. Especially since my right eye was mysteriously swollen (no longer mysterious--was a dust mite allergy) at the time and I was pretty sensitive to my loss of facial symetry. So, without really thinking as much as I should have, and remembering Jane Seymour has something funny with HER eyes, I say "My eye isn't always swollen like this. I am not a domestic violence case, you know." Now it's her turn to be miffed and she's sort of taken aback, "No, I mean...she's really pretty. And you look like her. It's a compliment." Maybe but I think I look nothing like Jane Seymour. I took one of those facial feature look-alike celebrity things on line and came up with Gwenyth Paltrow...don't look like her either, but I like that one better.
Next few days of the patient's stay. No grandmother. Hope I didn't scare her off...sort of.
Pretend the labels aren't there and see if you can figure out which one is me. I know it's tough. Since we look so much alike and all.
Oh, and then the following day in clinic, another patient made the following comment (this, mind you after we'd been through many of the intimate details of her life), "Can I ask you a personal question?" I am wary from my experience with the grandmother, but I sort of glance up in assent. "Why do women doctors never wear face make up?" What?!? "Not that you need it. Because you don't." She back-pedals like she's being chased by a rabid skunk, "It's just that I have noticed that no women doctors wear foundation. Not that they have to. I've just noticed." I sort of laugh it off and try not to let my disbelief reach my facial expression. "I guess we just don't have time to put it on...nor really want to." And back to business. Serioulsy, in what universe is it okay to ask a stranger these things. Frontal lobe disorders much? Cripes!
posted by S. at 10:58 PM
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