Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group You Poor thing...

Beloved,
I went back to a pain specialist the other day.
She is younger than my own girls….
I had cancelled, a procedure and was going in for a follow up!
By looking at me, an interested, but uninvolved person could see that there is something not quite right.
This doctor can see that time, a series of unfortutitous events have left their mark on my body!
I was sitting there hunkered down, reading an outdoors magazine, reflecting how I should have been more careful with my self thorugh the years, when she walked in.

She looked at me from about 6 foot away, well, “tell me about it.”
“It”, I thought, she knows about “it”! Does she know what kind of rough patch I have been through?
So I said I went into a flare, with a rash, aching and the like.
She waited until I paused for a breath, and said, she did not know if the proccedure would have helped or not.

As she rifled through my file, frowning and humming some theme from the movie “Losers”, she look ed up and Said: “you have had back and leg pain for 30 years?” Numbness that was usually only in my legs and hands, crept into my brain. I smiled and told her “longer”.
She look ed at me with big brown eyes and said, “YOU POOR THING”!
"You poor thing, I thought, she thinks I am a poor thing!

I was suddenly beside myself. Not liking what the other one was thinking, I forced a smile, and she said- I don’t know if anything can be done.
I have found a huge G A P, between what I think should be done and what others think. I suddenly felt like the time I had to tie myself to a tree so that I could sleep on a mountain for the night – I should have kept walking.
Her comment was Kind of like saying – “hold on real tight because I have never done this before.”

I felt as good as the day a guy in the front of the boat said: “well if this is stew, what happened to the sturgeon bait?” But I realized that this fine young doctor knew less than I did about my future and was not as comfortable with the full bore linear attack, as I was, so I told her that I would be fine.

I realized that I thought that I heard screams, but saw that her mouth was not moving, I knew I must be beside myself again, and my other was frustrated.

I am fine, I will be fine, I hate this disease, but I have been so blessed and have had so much fun in life, that I wish healthy people could learn to live, like the people here.
Man, I love this place! But I am not a poor thing....
Lon

Hi Lon,
What a pleasure to read your post. I can totally relate.....except my doc said "that's devastating".

I hate this disease too....but I truly love this place

Sherri

Lon,

At least she didn't ask you take your cloths off, and then say "You Poor Thing" LOL

I know what you mean about the Drs getting younger every year, I wonder what's up with that?

Gay

Lon,

I am so sorry that you have this disease and all that goes with it..

Since I have come to this site..I have learned that I think you were put here to help the rest of us....

What a difference a post can make..

Take care my friend,

Lisa

Lon,

Im here to listen and read your words.
Im here to understand as best I can.
I'm here if you need anyone to talk to
I'm here to give you e-hugs and let you know you aren't alone.

I am sorry that you are having such a hard time and I wish that I could snap my fingers and make it all better. I wish you luck in finding the silver lining because one day, you will find one and when you do, hang onto it and never let it go.

Sounds liek the doctor was the 'poor thing' to me.

*gentle hugs*

Marnie

you? A poor thing? I dont think so...

As much as you were giggling earlier? Nah...you are one heck of a guy, and I am so happy to be able to call you my friend.

Love ya!!

Lori

I know she meant well, but they should teach a class to student doctors on what not to say to a patient. I would not use that phrase to describe you in any way. She obviously does not know you.

I say take a day and go fishing. Is there anywhere to fish around you this time of year?

When you hurt yourself as a kid your mum would put her arm around you and give you a hug with 'you poor thing' and you knew there was nothing else she was going to do. But this young doc wasn't your mum and there wasn't going to be the consolation of a hug. Recently a gorgeous young woman walked into our swimming club changing room and said to me 'good morning my love' and I thought 'if only!'. Thing is she is german, speaks excellent english, knows all the expressions, but doesn't use them at quite the right time. Calling someone almost old enough to be her grandfather 'my love' when he was undressed and she was about to strip off as well wasn't really appropriate! But she meant well, just as your doc did - next time give her a hug, that will cure her!

Lon,
Sorry that your spcialist didn't turn out to be so special. I am going to see my new spine specialist today for a follow up after my last blast of facet injections. Mine hasn't given me that "deer in the headlights" look, yet.

It would be nice to find a doc that really understands this stuff. Unfortunately it seems most of them use the shotgun technique and just throw as many things at it as they can hoping one of them hits it.

well Lon, don't go tying yourself into any more trees, its too cold, and it really isn't that restful..lol Been there done that..lol

Keep Kickin'AS
Chris

Hi Sherri,
Nice to see you again!
Some times a guy just has to laugh!
We are having a cold winter here in NE.