I was talking to my mother today and she reminded me of a funny story from my hospital stay last year for my valve replacement, so I thought I would share it...
I have a wonderful cardiologist, who always has my best interest at heart. She talked to cards and surgeons from around the world (even Dr. Webb in Canada) about my situation before reccommending Dr. Charles Frasier at Texas Children's Hosptial in Houston. As it turns out, she did her residency at TCH, so she knows several of the doctors there pretty well. Once I was in a room, I met the on-call doctor for that month, Dr. Andrew Chang. As it turns out, he and my card were friends. So right away Dr. Chang and I hit it off.
Anyway, I was finally up and moving around enough that I wanted to be able to go get on a computer and report to all my on-line family (this was before I found VR.com, but I had several ACHD groups I was/am involved in). My husband had been posting for me, but I wanted to do it myself. When I asked the nurse, she told me no, because I was on telemetry and couldn't leave the floor (the computers were one floor up). However, we found out that the telemetry only stops working in the elevator, then picks up again on the floor. Anyway, I was very upset by this and when Dr. Chang came by I asked him if I could go up. He said "sure, I don't see why not." To which my mother replied, "Good, or she would have reported you to Dr. Pearse." A wicked gleam came to Dr. Chang's eye and he said, "Oooh, do that. See what she does..."
Anyway, I got to go use the computers then the next day I put a call in to Dr. Pearse's nurse practitioner and told him what was up. I explained that Dr. Chang wanted me to pull this joke on Dr. Pearse, and would he help me out and have her call me back. Well, I didn't hear from her until much later that day. Before hearing from her, however, Dr. Chang came to visit again. He asked if I'd talked to Dr. Pearse yet, and I told him I was waiting for her to call me back. He thought for a second and said, "You know, Dr. Pearse won't get mad. But she WILL get even..."
Unfortunately, that was on Friday, and the last day of the month, so I didn't see Dr. Chang again. However, I did talk to Dr. Pearse and put on a pretty good "pitiful" act complaining about how all I wanted to do was go up one floor to check my email and Dr. Chang wouldn't let me, and blah, blah, blah. The FUNNIEST part was that I didn't think I was going to be able to do it without laughing out loud (and it was very difficult with all the people in the room cracking up in the background). And when she first called I said in as pittiful a voice as I could "Hello?" To which she asked "How are you doing?" and in a woe begone tone I sighed "Alright." And here is where I almost lost it. Her answer was, "I know you better than that. You are not alright, what's wrong." I just about died! She completely bought the whole thing and thought that Dr. Chang was being rediculous and if I wasn't allowed to get on the computer the next day she would call down and talk to him herself.
Well, I was very dissappointed that I didn't get to talk to Dr. Chang again, because I now had no idea how I was supposed to get out of this lie. I was terrified to confess the truth, but didn't want her to continue to think such thoughts of Dr. Chang who was wonderful. So when I went in for my 3 week follow up, I confessed. She was floored. She pulled all the staff into the room and told them what I had done. And when she found out that the nurse practitioner was in on it she about smacked him!
But I tried over and over to explain that it wasn't my idea and she shouldn't take it out on me. She thought it was funny, of course, but she confirmed that she would be getting even. And she later called Dr. Chang and told him the same. I don't know if she ever did, but I know she hung it over his head for quite some time.
It was quite hilarious to be a part of this little practical joke. I hope that some day (without having to be in the hospital for any reason) I will get to see Dr. Chang again and laugh about our trick.
Anyway, this memory is a good one from the hospital and I thought I should share it. Some doctors are REALLY GREAT!
I have a wonderful cardiologist, who always has my best interest at heart. She talked to cards and surgeons from around the world (even Dr. Webb in Canada) about my situation before reccommending Dr. Charles Frasier at Texas Children's Hosptial in Houston. As it turns out, she did her residency at TCH, so she knows several of the doctors there pretty well. Once I was in a room, I met the on-call doctor for that month, Dr. Andrew Chang. As it turns out, he and my card were friends. So right away Dr. Chang and I hit it off.
Anyway, I was finally up and moving around enough that I wanted to be able to go get on a computer and report to all my on-line family (this was before I found VR.com, but I had several ACHD groups I was/am involved in). My husband had been posting for me, but I wanted to do it myself. When I asked the nurse, she told me no, because I was on telemetry and couldn't leave the floor (the computers were one floor up). However, we found out that the telemetry only stops working in the elevator, then picks up again on the floor. Anyway, I was very upset by this and when Dr. Chang came by I asked him if I could go up. He said "sure, I don't see why not." To which my mother replied, "Good, or she would have reported you to Dr. Pearse." A wicked gleam came to Dr. Chang's eye and he said, "Oooh, do that. See what she does..."
Anyway, I got to go use the computers then the next day I put a call in to Dr. Pearse's nurse practitioner and told him what was up. I explained that Dr. Chang wanted me to pull this joke on Dr. Pearse, and would he help me out and have her call me back. Well, I didn't hear from her until much later that day. Before hearing from her, however, Dr. Chang came to visit again. He asked if I'd talked to Dr. Pearse yet, and I told him I was waiting for her to call me back. He thought for a second and said, "You know, Dr. Pearse won't get mad. But she WILL get even..."
Unfortunately, that was on Friday, and the last day of the month, so I didn't see Dr. Chang again. However, I did talk to Dr. Pearse and put on a pretty good "pitiful" act complaining about how all I wanted to do was go up one floor to check my email and Dr. Chang wouldn't let me, and blah, blah, blah. The FUNNIEST part was that I didn't think I was going to be able to do it without laughing out loud (and it was very difficult with all the people in the room cracking up in the background). And when she first called I said in as pittiful a voice as I could "Hello?" To which she asked "How are you doing?" and in a woe begone tone I sighed "Alright." And here is where I almost lost it. Her answer was, "I know you better than that. You are not alright, what's wrong." I just about died! She completely bought the whole thing and thought that Dr. Chang was being rediculous and if I wasn't allowed to get on the computer the next day she would call down and talk to him herself.
Well, I was very dissappointed that I didn't get to talk to Dr. Chang again, because I now had no idea how I was supposed to get out of this lie. I was terrified to confess the truth, but didn't want her to continue to think such thoughts of Dr. Chang who was wonderful. So when I went in for my 3 week follow up, I confessed. She was floored. She pulled all the staff into the room and told them what I had done. And when she found out that the nurse practitioner was in on it she about smacked him!
But I tried over and over to explain that it wasn't my idea and she shouldn't take it out on me. She thought it was funny, of course, but she confirmed that she would be getting even. And she later called Dr. Chang and told him the same. I don't know if she ever did, but I know she hung it over his head for quite some time. It was quite hilarious to be a part of this little practical joke. I hope that some day (without having to be in the hospital for any reason) I will get to see Dr. Chang again and laugh about our trick.
Anyway, this memory is a good one from the hospital and I thought I should share it. Some doctors are REALLY GREAT!
