I went to the dentist yesterday to have my teeth cleaned, and a few weeks ago I went to my doctor for a routine check-up to get my prescriptions renewed. In both cases, I couldn’t help but notice how young both professionals were. My doctor looks about the age of my middle child, and I think my youngest son might be a few years older than my dentist. Some years ago, when I began noticing how young my healthcare professionals were, it was slightly unnerving. Did they really have enough experience? Now, however, as I am noticing the havoc age plays on memory as well as the tendency to curmudgeonly behavior, I’m rather glad that my doctors are as young as they are. If they were my age, I can only imagine how my visit might go.
“Good morning, Mrs. Okaty. It’s good to see you again. What is the purpose of your visit today?”
“I’m just here for my six-month check-up, Doctor, so I can get my prescriptions renewed.”
“Okay, then. Any problems since your last visit?”
“Nope, I’m fit as a fiddle.”
“I’ll be the judge of that, Mrs. Oakley.”
“It’s Okaty, Doctor, and really, I feel great.”
“If you feel great, Mrs. O’Malley, then why are you here wasting my time?”
“It’s Okaty, and you have told me for the last twenty years I’ve been your patient that you will not renew my prescriptions unless you see me every six months. So that’s why I’m here.”
“No need to get testy, Mrs. O’Grady. If you won’t tell me what’s wrong with you, how can I help you?”
“I need my prescriptions renewed. Just write the darn prescriptions, and I’ll leave you alone.”
“If you had said so at the beginning of your visit, this would have been so much easier, now wouldn’t it have, Mrs. O’Leary? By the way, do you own a cow?”
The doctor leaves the room to retrieve his prescription pad and comes back a few minutes later, sans said pad. “Good morning, Mrs. O’Reilly. What can I do for you today? By the way, I don’t recognize your name. Are you a new patient?”
Coming East 
This reminded me of my first colonoscopy, where just prior to the procedure I was prepped by the much younger than me male nurse, joined by the much younger than me male Anesthesiologist, and finally arrived the much younger and extremely good looking male Urologist. As I laid on my side with my rear end exposed I stuck out my arm and politely asked them to stop talking and put me out NOW. Oh the joys.
This cracked me up! The other thing I hate is having your doctor, whom you have trustd for years and years, retire. How dare they! Oh, wait…I’m retired, too. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I haven’t written in over a year, and your comment makes me feel like maybe I should.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Susan I’ve missed your blogging these last 14 months. I do hope you return to writing.
As I said, we miss you:)
I think I might try to blog again. No promises. It’s so good to be missed!
Too funny!
I think we’re laughing because it is close to the truth!
Hilarious!!! (And scary….but true!)
Heehee! Our old dentist in San Antonio groomed his son to take over his practice when he retires. He might already be retired.
The name mix-up really cracked me up! Love it!
Glad I gave you a chuckle, Jiawei.
great post!
Thanks, DAF.
I love you old-doctor scenario…. my doc was young when we started but now greying around the edges. I’ve noticed he’s forgetting things too. Uh oh!
Not a good sign!
lol! That seems far too real. I mentioned to my husband recently that I am not looking forward to getting a new doc, knowing that they’ll probably be younger than I am. He said to be glad of it. It means they should know what’s new in medicine, and not be using things like blood-letting and leeches. 😉
Loved what your husband said. These new docs seem pretty sharp, not that our old ones weren’t. It is hard to change, though.
Each year I ask my doctor — we’re probably the same age — if he’ll be back next year when I return for the annual physical if it’s a good year — sooner, if I get that troublesome bronchitis that hits me every now and then. He’s still there. Yes! When we move to the country, I just may keep seeing him for those annual physicals. I’ll drive in because he’s worth it. But if I get sick, I’ll have to meet someone new out in the country. 😦
It is so hard to make that change, Georgette. I hated to leave my doctor because of the Medicare issue, but I think I’m really going to like this young new one. Takes his time with me and doesn’t rush to prescribe medication.
I’ve also noticed how young the professionals are! Good story!
And they seem to be up on the latest health information, too. I have found them very caring, so far.
I’ve been with the same doctors’ practice since the day I was born (in that time, I’ve been cared for by six different doctors – although only one was considerably younger than me). Still, every year when I go in for my annual physical, my doctor doesn’t seem to know who I am or that he’s ever seen me before. It’s so frustrating. The doctor I had when my boys were little remembered even the smallest details of previous visits and – since he was also my mother and father’s doctor AND my brother and sister-in-law’s physician – he could answer his own questions about the health of my family members. Those were the halcyon days of medical care!
It was the same for me, Margo. The only reason I had to change doctors is because of Medicare. I hate that!