Lighthearted Look at What the Experts Say/Do

Recently, I went to a doctor appointment. The doctor got down on the floor by my foot, touched it, and asked if I could move it. I was only wearing a sock, not a shoe, so I told him that I could move one toe. He was holding my foot. I said, “Here. Watch”. Then, with effort and concentration, I moved it. He almost missed it. I think that he was expecting it to be my big toe. I said, “The second one.” And moved it again. I said, “There. Did you feel it?”. He vaguely nodded and grunted “yes”, which was a bit of a let-down. He seemed to barely be hearing me. Then, WHOP! Out of nowhere he banged my knee with his mallet. He seemed pleased with himself —apparently because he had tricked me and snuck up on me. I felt angry and assaulted. I immediately said, “Well, don’t hit it again! Last time you kept beating on it and you hurt me.” He said, “No. I won’t hit it again.” But the smugness was still there. My knee reflect is absent. It didn’t kick.

He got up off the floor, and while looking at something on his computer, asked me several questions regarding my condition that were so vague it was hard to give an answer. Then, sounding annoyed and frustrated, he finally asked the question that the computer form was telling him to ask me,...which was simple to answer. I can only guess that he was trying to “outsmart me” by not asking the simple question that the computer was asking.,..but was blaming me for not giving the simple answer. (This would be a long story, as my doctor -though a nice man- is completely ignorant on SCI.)

Having read your story, Lαrα, I began to mentally review my doctor appointment from a different perspective. What I realized gave me an angry, sinking feeling, because I believe that -in all that time he spent down by my foot- he probably gave me a prick test without asking my permission in advance and without telling me afterward that he had done it. Here’s part of my objection to this sort of “spring it on me” testing...if I get an infection where he pricked me, I wouldn’t know why I had gotten it there, and I wouldn’t be keeping an eye on the spot so as to put iodine, etc. Also, with the mallet on the knee reflex test, if my foot is wedged on the wheelchair pedal plate, rather than lifted, then my knee could try to kick and strain itself. I have a large scar on that knee where I had a patella surgery, and I have always been very protective of it. Does he really think that I would be controlling myself so as to hide a knee reflex?!!!

During the questions that he paraphrased —and after the knee reflex test—, the doctor asked, “And can you lift your leg and straighten it?” I hope that the look I gave him conveyed my lack of enthusiasm for his lack of insight. I said, slowly, “I can move one toe.” He paused, then turned back to his list.

Thanks for giving us a Thread, Lαrα, where we can tell our stories and maybe learn from each other. I have learned from you. On my next visit, I will ask my doctor not to perform any tests, such as knee reflex or prick test, without first asking my permission and receiving it.

My sister is dual licensed RN/LVN, and works as an RN in Oncology research. Years ago, she told me that the reason an injection sometimes has a burning sensation is because the vein gets inflated when the medication is pushed in too quickly. She advised to always ask for a slow push.

When I was in hospital with SCI, I received an injection every morning, and it always burned. One morning, I asked the nurse if he would do a slow push. He said OK and proceed to insert the needle ever so slowly. Once inserted, he rammed the plunger home (and yes, it burned).

I was laughing so hard that the head nurse came running in to see what was going on. I told her and her reaction was priceless.

Honestly, the guy had not a clue why I was laughing or what he'd done wrong...

It's always amazed me whenever I have been admitted to hospital how quickly someone has their finger up my bum. I don't think I have ever been more than half an hour before it happens. On the first day in hospital it's not unknown for three or four different people to perform this act. I swear next time I will be selling tickets.

Your right. You can only laugh about it.

catheterboy, I’m only ‘half joking’ when I ask this... Maybe someone, even maliciously, put it on your chart for them to do this. II didn’t comment when I firstt read your post because I thought it might be a “guy thing”, but other males here have apparently not had the same experience. Maybe you should ask them “Why?” next time.