If I can think of one thing that almost everyone universally hates, it's got to be the scale in a doctor's office.
Many years ago, I had an OB GYN who weighed about 90 lbs. Every year when I went to see her, she would weigh me and say "you gotta take that weight off." So I had this major anxiety attack every time I went in to see her, til I solved the problem: I stopped going. Then one day Sharon told me that her GYN didn't require you to be weighed. So I immediately switched to him. I came for my first visit, and his wife, the nurse, asked if I "wanted" to be weighed. "No thank you," I politely responded. And that was it! The new GYN happened to be an adorable man, but throw in their philosophy of not requiring a weigh-in, and I was as happy as a clam. The next year I went for my visit, the wife asked if I would like to step on the scale. "No thanks" I again replied. I then further said that I liked it that I was not REQUIRED to get on the scale. And she told me all services in a doctor's office are optional, and you can refuse any service. Wow, I thought, I wish I had known this many years ago.
Well that philosophy is apparently not shared by all doctors, including my internal medicine (IM) guy. At my first visit to Dr IM, an assistant led me down the hall to a scale. "Oh, I don't want to be weighed," I told her. She said "you must. It's a requirement." So I got on the damn scale. And stopped trying to argue with Dr IM's office.
At my last visit, Dr IM, who has a much nicer demeanor than the cold 90 lb GYN, told me how many pounds he'd like me to lose by my next visit. Of course, I GAINED weight this time. I was not looking forward to today's visit, til a brainstorm hit me.
I was making cookies for the holidays and wham, I thought, hey I'll use these as a bribe! So I refrigerated the dough and baked some fresh cookies this morning. I put them in a nice "Happy Chanukah" bag and brought them with me to the doctor's office. I was again led down the hall to a scale, got on, and said "oh gee, this isn't good." I was then led to a room. Dr IM walked in and I held up the bag. "This bag of freshly baked cookies is yours if you promise not to comment on my weight today," I said. "DEAL!" he replied.
Being quite happy with myself, I called Sharon, who shares the same doctor, and told her my story. "I'm gonna try that!" she said.
So now I'm envisioning this doctor getting fatter and fatter each time we go to see him.
4 comments:
You mean it isn't required!? you are too smart. Maybe I should try the cookies next time. The nurse doesn't always make me weigh in, but she doesn't say anything about my weight and neither does my Dr. This makes me thankful as she is just a tiny little thing and my Dr. is a toothpick!
I just totally love this! I've gotta remember it for Dr. Perry, who is as sweet as any doc could be, but still -- that scale is there!
I've been putting off an appointment now for a few months for that very reason. I now absolutely have to have the appointment this week. I don't think the no, or the cookies would work, but I'll at least try the no thanks!
Came here via Jeanie & the Gypsy, and clearly I need to plan some time to stay a while, study, learn. This is brilliant. Awesome strategy. Great post.
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