My Average Doctor Appointment...

Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...

Is it just me or do you have to take a whole day off work just to see a doctor?

It seems like they don't give a rip about YOUR time - I guess they're making so much money that they fail to understand that your time is also money.

Like an idiot, I arrive at my appointment 5 minutes early.

The waiting room has 2 other people in it and I think "okay it looks like he's running right on schedule...let's see...2 exam rooms, 2 people waiting. Great. I'll just read my novel here for a few minutes..."

I read for 10 minutes. Meanwhile 3 more people have entered the waiting room. I check my watch and also notice that no other patients have been called in to see the doctor.

I take a 1997 issue of Homemaker Magazine from the pile of ancient mags. I flip to the recipe section and read through. Most of the ingredients in the recipes have become extinct so I flip to the fashion section. I realize everything from these pages is still in my closet.

Ten more minutes have passed and still no sign of any patients leaving the examination rooms.

I return to my novel just as 2 sets of patients leave and 2 more are escorted in. Great! I'm next.

I notice a fairly recent edition of Canadian Living left by one of the patients who just got called in. I read it from cover to cover.

Four more patients have come in from the cold. 38 minutes have passed.

I look around at the others. They seem to be content, some reading, some staring off into space. I can't believe that I'm the only one with something better to do with my time.

"What's he doing in there? Performing a triple bypass?" I say this half to myself, half to the patient next to me.

The medical office assistant glares at me from her station. I have a feeling she's trying to say "don't rock the boat". I shift in my seat. I stretch. I read another 2 chapters. I'm on the verge of storming out in a snit when FINALLY a patient emerges from the examination room. I scan him briefly for stitches, slings or other possible reasons why he took so long.

At last I sit in the exam room. My watch tells me I waited for 1 hour and 30 minutes. My plan is to give the doctor a piece of my mind but suddenly he enters the room and my mind goes blank. My appointment lasts for 3 minutes because I forgot why I was there.

On my way out, I remember what my problem was and I stop at the reception desk to see if I can go back in. "I'm sorry," she smiles, "you'll need an appoinment for that."