Friday, March 23, 2007

I'm In Trouble Again!!

It is NOT my fault. I have no idea how these things happen.

Here's the story.

We start with a local neurologist that my company occasionally does business with. We will call him Dr. X. Dr. X has won awards, has a thriving practice, etc. Personally, I found him to be a cold fish and autocratic, but whatever.

Fast forward to about 18 months ago, charges surfaced against Dr. X re: "inappropriate touching". I read the stories and based on my personal experience and cynical nature, jumped to the conclusion that it was a scam on the part of the two women and dismissed the story. After all he seems like the last person to want to touch someone.

Fast forward to about a month ago. Jen and I are discussing her neurologists. The first recommended another who specialized in Jen's condition, MS. The recommended doctor had a lot going for her (smart, world class hospital affiliation) but had a terrible bedside manner and didn't listen. Dr. C had a set agenda and stuck to it. *WE* didn't like her.

The next one we found via a friend of Jen's who casually said "I know the head of the MS Department at BI". Hi! Get us in! LOL Gary got us in. The new neurologist, Dr. V is just what we wanted. He's smart. He listens. He puts up with our crazy questions. Great guy, love him, but he is shifting his focus back to research and is less and less available. So Jen and I will soon be on the hunt again. She asks me about local guys. Lots of people ask because in my work I know the other side.......office staff.....how good they are in responding to patient's needs.......how to look up on the internet and see stuff about them. So I mentioned a few locals and said the smartest was probably Dr. X and reminded her of his award from the MS Society. We were both there the night he received it. I also mention the "cold fish" part and we dismiss him from further consideration. Bad bedside manner, been there, done that, all set.

Fast forward to a few days ago. The newspapers are full of stories about Dr. X pleading guilty to "inappropriately touching" 9 women!!!!!!!!! LOL They range in age from 32 to 78. Christ! I was shocked. Oh well.

Fast forward to dinner last night (Girl's Night) when the subject comes up and Jen starts ripping me a new one. "You were going to send me to "Chester-the-Molester"!!!!!! You were going to send me to some pervert? What part of a neurological exam requires humping someone from behind!" I am laughing too hard to defend myself. No one at the table is helping me.

Then she starts bringing out the big guns. "Wait until Sunday (another family birthday party - Grace and my nephew Frankie)! Wait till I tell our family that you were going to let me get molested. Wait till I tell Mum that you were going to take me to a pervert. What would you have done when I came out of that exam room covered with blood, looking for a shovel?"

I gasped that she is never in the exam room alone. I am always with her. She just rolls right over me. "You are in such trouble! Our family will rip her to shreds!" she tell the others. She is right, I am in such trouble. I will never win this. I will never live it down. Forever and ever, no matter what I do, I will be the one who tried to send Jen to a pervert doctor. Just tattoo the big "B" on my forehead for "bad sister".

Then, the unkindest cut of all. "Wait until I tell my friend, SB". Now I'm sunk. SB and Jennifer are always one against me. It is completely irrational. My only hope is the fact that I get to tell my side first.

Fast forward to this morning. SB calls. There are a million things I want to say. There are a million things he wants to say. "Wait, wait, wait. I must tell you this." I say. I tell him the story. Any rationale person can see that I did nothing wrong. Anyone can see that I merely suggested his name. That had we pursued this, I would have remembered the allegations and ruled him out.

When I conclude my case, he says............

"Well, I'll have to hear Jennifer's side of this............but it's not looking good for you."

Not looking good for me? Not looking good for ME!! What. The. Fuck. LOL This just isn't fair!

5 comments:

Citizen Deux said...

Wow.

Please, put down the espresso.

My view on docs (or inappropriate behavior by any professional) is that the patient needs to be aware of their own rights.

Regrettably, too many folks arrive in vicitm / helpless mode and thus become what they hope to avoid.

By the way, you probably are in trouble. No amount of backpedaling will save you.

My advice, go on the offensive. Claim to have been working undercover for the Boston Globe...

BostonMaggie said...

LOL. You are right and you are wrong.

I don't drink coffee of any kind. I am a tea drinker.

However, I agree....there is no saving me.

Gunny John said...

Did she see him? No? Ruled out because of poor beside manner? What's the prob?

He's a creep, and should be castrated by a bag of pissed off wildcats, but he was slick enough to fool folks wasn't he?

We have an inherent trust of doctors, and jerks like him give ALL doctors a black eye. Most of them want very badly to do good. Shame that scumbags like him sneak through.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you were going to send your sister, your own flesh and blood to a pervert!
Good thing the charges surfaced before you had the chance to have your sister, your own flesh and blood molested! You are in so much trouble!
SB

BostonMaggie said...

GJ - My thoughts exactly!

SB - *stamping my foot and crossing my arms*
How can I be in trouble? this isn't fair!