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<\/p>\nPain and exhaustion had immobilized me for almost two years.\u00a0 And while I was trying to resolve those issues I ate my way through the process.\u00a0 It\u2019s what I do.\u00a0 I am an emotional eater.\u00a0 I eat when I am sad, tired, frustrated but also happy, joy-filled and celebratory.<\/p>\n
Finally at a 30 lb. weight gain, with sheer panic, I decided I could no longer lose on my own.\u00a0 There was a plethora of choices and I thought I had chosen wisely \u2013 a physician specializing in weight loss who had herself experienced the frustration of maintaining a healthy weight.<\/p>\n
On a Wednesday afternoon as I drove through a high traffic route to my free 30 minute consultation I turned to God in prayer.\u00a0 \u201cLord, I want to honor you with treating this amazing body you created as a temple.\u00a0 Please, please, show me where I need to be.\u00a0 If this is the place Lord give me a clear sign.\u00a0 But if it is not to be your will for me then slam shut the front door. Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n
I got there 7 minutes before my appointment time, but when I went to open the door I found it locked!\u00a0 How strange?\u00a0 I looked through the window and saw it was all dark.\u00a0 Then noticing a bell, I rang it. \u00a0About 20 seconds later a slender woman came to the door and said \u2013<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are early!\u00a0 I am Dr. G.\u00a0 I should have told my assistant to make sure you wait in your car until the appointed time.\u00a0 Well, come in and have a seat.\u00a0 I still need to turn on the lights.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice was clipped and fast paced.<\/p>\n
As I sat down in a chair in the lobby, I noticed a young girl dressed in black with the name of the office.\u00a0 She appeared to be an intern.\u00a0 She rushed to open the beautifully etched glass door for the doctor that led to the back offices.\u00a0 The doctor then scolded the intern for touching the glass, told her to use the door handle only and instructed her to clean the glass.\u00a0 The intern hurriedly went to do so.<\/p>\n
Somewhat shocked at the way she reprimanded the intern I began to look around.\u00a0 I took comfort in the bible that was laying opened on the end table near where I sat.<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, the intern asked me to come through and the doctor spent the first 10 minutes showing me the various rooms before settling me into her office.\u00a0 She asked the intern if she had introduced herself to me and when the intern stated that she merely said she was an intern; \u00a0the doctor chastised her and made her introduce herself as Ashley on loan from the local university for the semester.\u00a0 Dr G stated that she gave back to the community by \u201ctraining\u201d interns who were interested in a career in medicine.\u00a0 I thought to myself \u2013 after having been trained and worked at Duke University Medical Center as a medical secretary I never once saw such an awful manner of teaching to myself, interns, residents and medical students.<\/p>\n
But I was desperate to hear what this doctor could do with my fast ballooning body.<\/p>\n
The next 20 minutes comprised of her journey into \u201chealth\u201d and how she did it and how she uses it to help others.\u00a0 With use of vitamin and mineral injectables as well as GLP-1\u2019s and a ketosis diet she showed me how others had been successful. Her speech was rapid fire and she was constantly looking at her watch as if she had a flight to catch. When I asked her to slow down; her response was that she wanted me to have all the information.\u00a0 I acknowledged her desire for me to know her plan and that she only had 30 minutes to deliver it.\u00a0 But \u201cIt\u2019s like you are on speed!\u201d\u00a0 To which she replied \u201cThose are the shots!\u00a0 You will have this kind of energy too!\u00a0 To which I replied I was not sure I wanted that kind of energy.\u00a0 She then proceeded to give me her fee scale ($$$$$) and told me she would need to know by following Monday because if not I would automatically be dropped from her client list.\u00a0 I told her I was having a cardiac stress test at 7 am in a few days and probably would not be able to get back to her right away.\u00a0 She looked at her watch again and then stood up and stated that her system was all computerized and that the paperwork would be sent to me via email.<\/p>\n
The meeting was obviously over. She asked the intern to walk me out \u201call the way to my car!\u201d<\/p>\n
As I returned to the lobby I noticed 4 other interns all dressed in black and a room full of patients all rushing in to be weighed.\u00a0 The parking lot was like that of Costco at Christmas.\u00a0 As I approached the door to exit, the intern rushed to open it and I turned to her and said \u201cAshley, walking me to the car is not necessary as I am parked right in front of the office\u201d.\u00a0 To which Ashley nervously looked at the doctor who was now standing behind the reception desk before whispering \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am sure.\u00a0 But I will pray for you because I think you are going to need it this semester.\u201d\u00a0 And she nodded!<\/p>\n
As I got in the car I felt such a mixture of sadness and anger.\u00a0 Sadness that what this doctor was teaching was rudeness, not kindness; making money over making people healthy, selfishness over selflessness, and hubris over humility.\u00a0 And where was the bible?\u00a0 On a table but certainly not in the doctor\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n
Fighting the now end of the day traffic, I suddenly started laughing.\u00a0 I must have looked like a crazy person laughing like a hyena with no one visible in the car.\u00a0 But the Lord was right beside me.\u00a0 Had I not asked God to clearly show me what I should do?\u00a0 And had He not given me my first clue when the front door to the office suite was locked?\u00a0 I should have heard His answer right there and ran!\u00a0 But God has such a sense of humor.\u00a0 He wanted to make sure I knew exactly what I should and should not be looking for in quality care.<\/p>\n
I had my answer.\u00a0 But you know what?\u00a0 I continue to think about Dr G and her\u00a0 practice and pray that she somehow learns to put the bible not where it just lays there as a show piece or advertisement but in her heart where it is tangible for all who meet and work with her.<\/p>\n
p.s.\u00a0 I never did receive the paperwork in my email\u2026.good thing because the day after my cardiac stress test I had a massage and in the same office suite there was a weight loss clinic.\u00a0 When I inquired about it, I was seen without an appointment.\u00a0 For almost an hour I was listened to and the diet plan was laid out for me in a calm and caring manner.\u00a0 And the price didn\u2019t require me getting a loan from the bank.\u00a0 \u00a0God does answer prayer but watch out for His wicked sense of humor.<\/p>\n
Have you experienced a medical visit that brought fear, anger, frustration, and astonishment?\u00a0 Did God guide you through the process or away from the practice?\u00a0 How did you navigate the good, bad, and the ugly of the medical arena?\u00a0 Please share so other might learn \u2013 or laugh.<\/p>\n
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Thank you for reading my post.\u00a0 If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it.\u00a0 Feel free to even re-blog \u2013 may these words take flight!<\/p>\n
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