I read recently that many women won't visit doctors for even the slightest problem because the weighing station isn't discreet enough. I, personally, don't care where it is and even thought this when I read the article. How naive I was.
It was a perfectly normal doctor's visit - I had to fill out paperwork, the doctor was running 45 minutes behind and the lady at the counter needed a copy of my insurance card, etc. It all started falling apart when the nurse came out to get me.
Nurse: "Teresa Klear?"
Me (looking around): "I'm TEESA Klear."
Nurse: "No, I'm looking for Teresa Klear." (speaking louder and over my head now) "TERESA KLEAR?"
Me: "My last name is Klear, but my first name is TEESA."
Nurse: "No, TERESA." (looks down at the paper) "Oh, whoops, Teesa."
This is not an unusual start to any doctor's visit, but she did speak with a little more gusto than I am accustomed to. We then traveled back to the exam rooms and I found myself staring at the scales. She instructed me to get on. I placed my heavy winter coat and purse on the chair next to the scales and took my shoes off.
I then stepped onto the scales. 
The scales were typical doctor's office scales, as seen above.
The nurse, of Asian decent, immediately flipped the bottom weight to 150 pounds.
Then she started fiddling with the top one - I suppose she was wondering why it wasn't balancing correctly. You see, I am 125 pounds. There was no way she was going to get it to work properly if she kept the lower weight on 150 pounds. I felt a little affronted at this point - I mean, did this woman actually think I weighed more than 150 pounds? I know I've gained some holiday weight, but come on.
Then she started fiddling with the top one - I suppose she was wondering why it wasn't balancing correctly. You see, I am 125 pounds. There was no way she was going to get it to work properly if she kept the lower weight on 150 pounds. I felt a little affronted at this point - I mean, did this woman actually think I weighed more than 150 pounds? I know I've gained some holiday weight, but come on.
She then figured out her mistake and moved the lower weight back to the 100 pound mark, but, with what I now know is her usual gusto, she slid the upper weight all the way to the right - to equal...yes, that's right 150 pounds. Eventually she slid it back to the 30 mark and then finally put it at 129, where it was obviously not balanced properly (the little tab was touching the bottom of the square cut-out). Then, she proudly looked me in the eyes and practically shouted, "You weigh 129 pounds. 1 - 2 - 9."
What is that about? I don't really scare if I way 129 pounds or not - honestly. But, does such a big deal have to be made about it?
She then led me into my exam room and it was there that I had to pray to God to let me treat her with kindness. Up to this point I had kept my mouth shut (with the obvious exception of correcting her about my name).
Fortunately, I didn't have to deal with her again.
As to my name being mispronounced, the doctor did it once and the lady at the check-out counter repeated the same mistake.
Should I put my confidence in an office whose entire staff is illiterate? You tell me.
To be honest with you, it wasn't an altogether unpleasant experience. The doctor was very sweet, as well as her personal nurse and I even saw someone who goes to my church there (I had never properly met her before).
But, I can now understand why some women choose to stay at home than to visit a doctor's office where her weight is announced for everyone to hear. I'm learning.
10 comments:
UGH Teesa how frustrating! My name is always mispronounced so I know how annoying that is. They always call Lyla, Leila at her pedi's office and it bugs me to no end. As far as the weight, it doesnt sound like she knew what was doing. Anyway I hope you at least got some answers out of all that!
I took it so personally, I didn't even consider that option Zsera! I am so self-involved sometimes...
I know you get the name thing. That's another reason Sam is named Sam. No squirrely names for this family - although Carolina has been called Caroline already. Hope she doesn't resent me too much when she grows up.
I know what you mean with the name thing. I always correct the nurses but I am still called Misty. My last name is unusual too...
Our son Rosty was named after my grandfather and he is called Rusty a lot. I had to correct his drs. office because his file even said Rusty and when I told the lady at the check-out counter she acted like I was not telling her the truth.
I will say the nurses at my OB-GYN office are pretty discreet about the weight. The scales are off to the side & they are digital so they do not say the weight out loud.
I hope things went good with your drs. visit.
Teesa,
That would have been very frustrating to say the least. I love seeing that my friends have to pray about their attitude/response as do I at times. :)
I avoid Drs. and Vets as much as possible. I think it keeps me and my pets healthy. LOL. :-)
They always call me Joanne and I say, "it is Joanna" and they say, "OK Joanne."
I sure wish I weighed 129lbs and I'd want 'em to shout it, over the loud speaker.
I never had problems w/ my first name...but with my maiden name, watch out! Thanks for making me chuckle! I've enjoyed catching up on all your postings, I've been really slow since Elizabeth was born. Can't wait to try some of your recipes! Oh...we think that Ethan's hair is always crooked, so I laughed when I read your post on our blog! So funny! He needs a haircut now-I can't cut it and he won't let anyone else, so I don't know what to do!!!
I get called "Man" everytime the folks at Starbucks call my name to give me my drink. I think I will start telling them it is "Nancy", even though it isn't! Also, a lady at the gym yesterday was writing down Frank's name and she wrote "Fr" and then said, "ank?" I didn't know you could spell it any other way! Sorry the doc was tough!
I didn't realize how many friends I have with unusual names (um, like Joanna??). Glad to know you can all empathize with me!
OK, this cracked me up … the part about the scale b/c I get the same thing except with the bottom at 100. I won't share more but suffice it to say I am 4 foot, 11 inches and just very petite. It is almost as if the nurses get offended that I weigh so "little". Then I sort of get offended and want to say something really hateful. I don't but I usually think it.
About the name, we get SAVANNAH all the time for Susannah. What is up with that? Hasn't Susannah been a name a lot longer than Savannah?! And my son Jonah gets called Noah all the time. Whasup!? Not even close to the same.
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On a more serious note, THANK you for your comment today. I appreciate your thoughts! And thanks for coming to my blog; I check yours but hardly comment. Sorry! I am going to do better about not lurking so much and commenting. The video of Sam and the letters is priceless. We are not there yet but she is starting to be consistent with her colors. Yeah for small steps and big ones!!!
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