Doctor Doctor

Got an appointment with the doctor, even if calling the nurse was a complete circus. Always try to estimate what people ought to ask about, and so I make notes about what’s important, but things always turn into some absurd Monty Python act when I make phone calls. Like, telling my social security number and she goes “oh REALLY?“ like I’m making it up. Don’t want to describe the call, but god, do I hate phoning. Even pledged to see a doctor who speaks Swedish, because last time I had to do a charade in order to make the doctor understand I had a nasty infection in my finger. Taught her a new word, “finger”. I’m not racist, but speaking remotely the same language as your doctor is essential.

My boyfriend was glad I got an appointment with “his” doctor, because that’s one of the few sane, empathetic and completely Swedish-speaking employees there. Wanted to study my notes and calm down before I entered the doctor’s office, but fifteen minutes ahead of time he stepped up to me, just when I had entered the waiting room. He didn’t ask anything, so I was trying to structure things myself, and I don’t fancy that. Couldn’t follow my golden rule “never speak first”, but guessed I ought to read out my long list of symptoms and show him my pretty rash. He agreed it looks like lyme disease and prescribed a double dose of antibiotics for ten days.

Then he fell silent and stared at me as if I was some fascinating extinct breed, so I figured maybe that was my que to say thanks and leave. Can’t blame him for being silent and puzzled if a thirty-something woman is clutching a Ghostbusters logo wallet on the verge of panic, having a Ghostbusters logo purse, plus is pointing at a lyme disease rash close to her Ghostbusters tattoo. The wallet and purse logo I had planned to hide, but he caught me by surprise. Did tell him I have aspergers and a severe depression, so maybe he understood. At least he didn’t make fun of me.

More confusion in the drugstore. She said it’s uncommon to get such a high dose, but the darling doctor indeed said I’d had a lot of strong symptoms for two weeks and wanted to be sure to kill off the germs. Today I couldn’t keep the medicine… too nauseous. Took two more pills, but I’m already in trouble - can’t follow prescription. Too few pills left. No chance in hell I’ll ask for more! It’ll just have to do.