Waiting for sunshine, on a cloudy day (literally)

It probably started with the weeklong 10.30am -4.30pm Faculty Development Programme that I enrolled in. Attentively being part of it by setting up the phone in an angle so as to best suit my professional seating arrangement to avoid any backaches later, came with its varied troubles. But more on it later.

So from a Monday to another Monday later, Tuesday night brought with it a mild pain on my left hand. It traversed to the shoulder. Thanks to being Papa's girl, I doubted for a second whether it was a heart attack, but shushed my overworking brain and went back to reading the Hangwoman. 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday later, on Friday, after mom finally took me to task, I decided I may as well pay a visit to a doctor. The thought that it was a government hospital and the charges are Rs. 5 further fascinated me (I have been tremendously happy about the services at Kerala on a previous visit and swear by them). 

 

The sight that greeted me was of a clean hospital with a fish aquarium and masked people (of course). From 9.30 am - 11.30 am with people mostly following queue other than an occasional intruder, things went fine. Poor husband. He had postponed his meeting to accompany me to the hospital.

Finally, we stepped in. 

"Yes, tell me."

I explained my issue.

"Do you have a breastfeeding baby?"

"No, doctor. "

"Do you use a pillow?"

"No. Since a back surgery a few years back, I stopped that."

"Surgery for pain or money?"

I looked at him, clueless.

"There are doctors who conduct surgeries just for the sake of it, to make money."

"It was a disc prolapse, doctor."

"Oh, do you have all the reports of that time?"

"Yes."

Looking at husband, he went on about how disc prolapse surgeries are performed only on people above the age of 40. 

"Did she have pain while walking?"

I murmured a yes but he was too busy declaring it a sham. He asked about the hospital while all I could think about was the blinding pain I had while trying to stand up from the bed one fine morning, almost ten years back.

Anyway, let's move ahead.

He told me to lie down. After a thorough check-up that involved a doctor's hammer (well, I have always called it that) hammering possible nails on my knees and toes, he asked me about sunshine. Ahh! Caught me. "Has been slightly less, doctor." 

I got down. He told me to jump. I jumped. Once. Twice. He declared my nerves to be completely perfect. Hurray! He told how a person with any nervous issue would not be able to jump. I thanked my stars and moved to sit across him.

Then came more questions. This time to husband.

"How are you related to her?"

"I am her husband."

"How long have you two been married for?"

"Over 2 years."

"Do you listen to all her whims and fancies?"

I sat ogling at both the men in the room.

Husband shared a secret look with me and said no to the doctor (honestly?).

He scribbled a few tests just to find out the actual cause of my pain. 

"Her problems will be solved with a baby. Don't listen to all her whims and fancies."  (Hello, what about my pain?)

Mind you! The first question he asked me when I explained my pain was whether I have a breastfeeding baby!

He scribbled a semen analysis for my husband at the back of my prescription!

The thought didn't cross his mind that probably there was a thin rubber shield that didn't allow the poor sperm to go fertilise the egg! Or probably, there was something else. 

"Don't you both worry or feel bad. I usually am direct with all my patients (I wanted to check the meaning of "direct" in the dictionary then and there. But I resisted the urge.) I will set you up with a good gynaecologist. "

"Thank you, doctor." 

No medicines. Thank you, God. 

The moment we stepped out and noticed, it was raining. There goes my today's sunshine as well. 

We both got on the bike.

"I am never coming here. Ever again."

"Just because you didn't get medicines, you think he is a bad doctor? (Really, husband?) Don't worry. You'll be fine soon, dear!" 

Husband, you better don't listen to my whims and fancies or the doctor may suggest a few more tests!

28 and with a neck or back pain? You might as well go to a gynaecologist.

 

Waiting for today's dose of 🌞🌞