I had quite a few things happened to me in the last few months of year 2005. First, I came down with a bad flu followed by a horrible cough that gave me chest pain. Then, I got my braces and was not able to eat and sleep properly for a couple of weeks because of the pain and soreness. Finally, just 10 days before Chirstmas, I contracted chicken pox out of the blue, seriously. I woke up one morning and found myself cover spots.
I was confused and thought I had an allergic reaction. But when I took a closer look, the spots were not some regular rash but kinda blistery. It occured to me that they might be chicken pox. To comfirm what I thought they were, I called the doctor's clinic and took the first opening they had without thinking who I was going to see.
I checked in at the reception desk and the nurse called me into the exam room in less than a minute (unusually fast). I waited in the exam room for about 5 minutes and the doctor came in. The first thing she said to me after a short greeting "Hi", was "I heard you have chicken pox, you haven't touched anything in this room, have you?". I told her no and reassured her that I was sitting on my chair the entire time I was in the room. She sat down in front of the computer and started documenting my case.
After the brief meeting, she left the room shortly and returned with a whole new set of 'outfit'. She wrapped herself up in a long gown, with glasses, mask and gloves. She then asked me to show her the spots I got. She then mumbled, "I have never seen real chicken pox before, do they itch?" (You tell me, you the doctor, I thought.) So I told her what I felt and what I noticed (that the spots were blistery). "I think you're right, they are probably chicken pox" she said to me. I was shocked that she seemed to agreed with me instantly and amused by how nervous and inexperienced she was.
She stayed in a distance as soon as she agreed that I had chicken pox, and took off ther 'wrap'. "I do not know what to do with them (she meant her 'wrap' - the gown, mask, gloves etc), just leave them here and I will figure out how to dispose them", she said that in a hurry and left the room. Later, she stood by the door and kinda 'threw' the diagnosis slip towards me. Without wasiting any second, she immediately posted a sign on the door 'Do not use this room'. However, she apologized the way she handed me the slip before she finally disappeared.
Before I left the room, a nurse called me from far away "Could you please throw the gloves and everything in the bin?" I was surprised by the request but I did it anyway. I did not mind what happened in the clinic and still found the way the doctor and the nurse acted quite amusing. The doctor's appointment made me laugh for a couple of days before the disease got more serious. I cancelled my trip to NY and had isolated myself from people for a little over 3 weeks. Anyhow, I have recovered and today's my first day back in school.
