Some Days Are Harder Than Others

Yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon in my Ophthalmologist's office. I go every few months for checkups due to the eye problems that run in my family. It's never been a big deal before, but this time, I felt that more than two hours to get the job done was a little unreasonable, especially since most of the time was spent waiting in one place or another. 

First came the usual visual check - reading the eye chart - then the doctor said it was time for my yearly dilation. This is very uncomfortable for me, but since it's necessary, I grin and bear it. Yesterday was no exception. Drops were put into my eyes and I was taken to a dark room where several other people were sitting, eyes closed, waiting for their eyes to dilate also. I was left there for a full thirty minutes - longer than usual - but was still determined to get through it with a smile. When my name was finally called, I followed the technician to another small office where I was given a test. I was to look into a machine with one eye at a time and follow the little green light around. No problem.

All finished with that, the tech led me to another office and told me the doctor would be with me in a few minutes to discuss the test. Well, that few minutes turned into another thirty and I was starting to get a little irritable! My husband was waiting in the waiting room and I suspected he was, too.

When the doctor finally appeared with one of his assistants by his side, determined not to be nasty, I said in the most pleasant voice I could conjure up, "I see you're having an unusually busy day!"(Smile). To which he replied, "It's not unusual at all."(No smile). I couldn't help but answer, "Well it seems so to me. I've been coming here for fifteen to twenty years, and I've never had to wait this long before!"(Still smiling). The doctor didn't reply, nor did he smile or apologize, but merely explained my test results, then told me he'd see me in five to six months... and walked out. I felt that I and my feelings had been dismissed like a child!

I wonder... as we age and aren't quite as perky as we once were, do younger people just naturally assume that we've lost our intellect and common sense?


  Peggy~