In collaboration with RACGP.
It was a busy morning at work, but I had to get to the doctor. The situation was bordering on dire and I couldn’t put it off any longer.
I phoned the GP rooms on the level below the newspaper office where I worked and asked if they had anything available that morning – with anyone. I didn’t care who, I’d take whomever they had and please hurry. Thankfully there was a 10.30 slot, and I was welcome to it.
I looked up from my waiting room magazine as my name was called to see a very pleasant young man standing in the doorway smiling expectantly at me. As I followed him down the corridor and took a seat in his office I came to the stark realization that this pleasant young man really was young. Like, young. This fully qualified family physician sitting opposite was YOUNGER THAN ME.
Doctors are always older, right? Older and wiser? I mean, that’s always how I’ve viewed doctors. It takes a long time to be a doctor, so it stands to reason that they’re all older than me – and now suddenly they’re not. This young man would have at least spent 10 years minimum becoming qualified after finishing high school, and as he sat before of me waiting patiently for my ailment, my poor brain scrambled to realize that this would be my new reality. As a 30-year-old at the time, I was going to have to get used to not being the youth of today, but instead going to the youth of today to solve my problems. And probably then telling them to get off my lawn.
He seemed slightly nervous, but capable. Friendly. Perhaps a little shy. I considered making up an illness to spare us both the embarrassment, but instead I took the plunge and figured if I was cavalier about my condition and acted like it wasn’t an issue, then it might put him at ease. I gave him a big smile and announced: “I have thrush”.
He was so good about it. Pretended like he heard ladies with thrush talking all day every day and took charge like a boss. Knew all about the medication, the contraindications with my current pregnant state, and what else I could do to get things sorted. I mean, when a GP has to be familiar with on average 22,000 different illnesses (as well as patient medical history), you’re bound to be in good hands even if those hands look like they fingerpainted only last week.
He actually reminded me slightly of the time I went for my first pap smear and the lovely doctor administering it was more nervous than I was. The last pap smear I had was with my local GP here in Melbourne and she was so gentle I felt compelled to thank her and declared it the best pap smear I’d ever had. She laughed.
I’ve moved around a lot and therefore never really been loyal to one doctor for very long, but I’ve always had such caring, thoughtful service. From the lady who always wore rainbow tie-dye and who helped me through the process of becoming a mother (she once said I was more than likely going to have a “bog-standard pregnancy” and I was oddly comforted), to the Indian fellow who reached out to put a consoling hand on my shoulder when one of the pregnancies had a rough start, and who even gave me some recipes from his homeland when he found out I was vegetarian – the doctors I’ve seen across Australia have been incredible.
Ok so there was this one very brusque little Chinese lady who always made me feel like I’d been called to the principal’s office, and who once barked at me during an exam: “you have very lumpy boobs”, but I found her on the whole rather reassuring as I figured she wouldn’t bullshit anybody. She was take-charge, no-nonsense, and healed you up good and proper and that illness better not come back or it would have her to deal with.
There was the doctor who diagnosed a broken wrist on sight 30 years ago (my doubtful mother who thought it was just a sprain asked skeptically “how do you know?” and he answered “I’m a doctor”), the GP who told me about gut health and dietary impacts on one’s immune system years before it was internet cool, the guy with the great hair who kindly told me I’d done a wonderful job breastfeeding my baby into toddlerhood and I shouldn’t feel guilty for weaning. Each of them see hundreds of patients each year, and still manage to make an impact on people every day.
They see things I couldn’t even bear to look at even with my squinty eyes, work long hours, and have to have so much knowledge. They’re your first point of contact for everything, and are also there for huge medical decisions people have to make. About 90% of GPs are with Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, so you know they never stop learning.
I for one are extremely grateful for the work they do and the care they provide my family, and I’ve no doubt a lot of you are also.
Do you have a lovely GP story? I (and I’m sure they!) would love to hear it. Have you had the same doctor all your life? Get a great pap smear? And when did you realise you were old?!
I have the best good doctor karma and I’m so happy about it. My doctor in London used to tell me that his oldest patient said that the secret of longevity was a glass of red wine every day so every Christmas, I would buy him a bottle of vino. I bumped into him while I was in London, totes by chance, and I was almost as excited as if I had won the lottery. I’ve got an awesome GP here too, it’s nice to know that someone has your back. As for getting old, I knew I was old, when I was old enough to be the parents of the (adult) students I was teaching!
Right, well he’s the professional, so I’m taking his advice! Vino for life! I like the little old ladies who say whisky and a sense of humour keep them going past 100. That’ll be me, haha.
Oh it sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? Comes out of nowhere – bam. You’re not young anymore. It took a while for my head to get around it. Pass that wine…
I’ve had two lovely GPs this year. My husband has had terrible luck with GPs. It’s very strange.
I find it funny when people are scared to talk about things that happen like thrush. After three courses of very strong antibiotics earlier this year I walked up to a chemist and told them I had it and I wanted whatever they had for it. I told them all the antibiotics I had been on and we both agreed it was a miracle that it a) wasn’t that bad and b) that I hadn’t been in weeks sooner.
Someone near us at the time was clearly uncomfortable but geez…shit happens, you know? Espeically after a crapload of antibiotics!
Ha yes that was my problem – antibiotics after a chest infection, mixed with pregnancy: thrush is about 99% guaranteed! He was so sweet, like I think there was a wave of terror that crossed his face, but he just bucked up and got on with the job. I think it makes the awkward even more awkward if you’re not up front about it. No point beating about the bush! 😉
This post has made me realise how great GPs are. I currently have a crazy Chinese GP who only ever seems to give out to me but also makes me lol. Whenever I go see him I have to regale the entire visit to my hubby cause they are hysterical.
well, laughter is the best medicine! My Chinese lady was so good, I only saw her a couple of times but every time I left better, slightly bemused, and full of grudging respect haha
Our GP is amazing. So amazing that it’s near on impossible to see her!! We’ve seen her for the last 8 years. She watched my boys grow up, seen me through my sisters death, through multiply miscarriages, pregnancy scares, amino test (& results) & taken care of me through two healthy pregnancies. She’s more than an average GP, she genuinely cares about us. She’s never in a hurry ( but often you wait an hour passed your appointment time to see her because she doesn’t hurry ANYONE), always asks about everyone & never fails to tell me I’m doing a brilliant job as a mum. Those words always make me smile because they are ones I don’t think mums hear enough of.
If we ever move, or she does, I’ll die. Literally because I won’t ever want to see another doctor.
Oh my god I love her already! It’s so nice when they have those thoughtful little touches, like being encouraging about motherhood. Imagine how much history you’ve shared with her… I want that! I do try to go to my pap smear lady doctor, who also didn’t laugh at my monkey bite 😀
I have a wonderful GP who I’ve been seeing for about 20 years & who has literally watched my grow up (mind you, I swear to god he hasn’t aged a day in all that time!). Last time I went to see him for an obstetrics referral he guessed that I was preggers before I’d even opened my mouth, and following both babies we received wonderful hand written cards in the mail from him, both sides of the card crammed with his lovely messge.
The getting old thing has crept up on me slowly but surely – I listen exclusively to the ABC on the car radio, begrudge evening outings and last week I found my first grey pube. Oh well. It happens to the best of us I guess!
Oh my god this made me laugh so much! One of the kids asked me what was so funny. I remember once the oldies easy listening station on the radio played Metallica and I saw my life flash before my eyes. What even? Also, how beautiful is your GP! What thoughtful care. Did your hormonal state make you bawl? I would have!
Oh worst nightmare! I know someone who went to a doctor about lady stuff, saw the doctor and then decided she’d feign a sore knee instead.
And man, I have those old moments all the time now. It must be a thing that happens when you turn 35. 🙁
The world is filled with whippersnappers, and as Mrs Woog says “the young’uns doing their lipsticks on the YouTube”. It’s all downhill mate, we’ll be getting walkers soon.
i’d much prefer to be badass/get that shit sorted rather than pretend, but it’s still hard to talk about lady stuff, y’know? Cray.
Thank goodness you can get thrush treatment over the counter now .. Our GP (female) saw me through pregnancy with our son, and was Dr to both of us, our daughter & her brother.. Then, as they grew up & went & had their kids.. Their kids also saw her! 3 generations. We shared family stories a lot! But she semi retired a while ago & sometimes is still at the practice the families still go to. We’ve moved to the central coast & it’s taken 4 months to find a GP who related to me as I’ve been anxious during the big life change..& she is the BEST I could imagine. She’s now seen by hub as well & we feel grateful to have found her. She’s same age as our kids! But we are not bothered. Life is like that it seems! Great post S xx
I think it’s all about the vibe isn’t it, regardless of the age. So glad you’ve found someone you’re comfortable with after the move, it makes such a difference doesn’t it? It’s amazing how one caring dr can help with anxiety about life things like that.
(ps making that asparagus and cheese bake tonight – I’ll let you know how I go!)
I get daily reminders that I’m old – I have a 19yr old housemate and I’m 33. I also got outraged when I heard pre-pubescent school kids swearing today even though I have extreme gutter mouth. I also found myself being door bitch for a work event recently and had to check id’s – people BORN IN THE MID TO LATE 90’S ARE OF LEGAL DRINKING AGE NOW WTF?!
Oh dude, tell me about it – how on Earth can kids born in the 90s be old enough to imbibe? And drive? And vote? Blows my mind. When I was a tutor at uni I realised I wasn’t a 19-year-old party girl any more but I didn’t feel like, old. NOW I FEEL OLD, DAMMIT.
I’ve had the same doctor since I finished uni. When I was pregnant with my second son I needed an appointment to grab a referral to my OB – my doctor was booked out so I said that I would see anyone. A larger lady made me pee on a stick and then promptly told me ‘yep – pregnant… Now is this a good thing or a bad thing?’. I thought that I had entered pretty excited to be pregnant, but I guess some people don’t always think that a pregnancy is a blessing.
Nope, they sure don’t! It can be downright rough for some. I actually think it’s great that if you had been struggling, she’d opened up an avenue of conversation for you to get help. But you know, each to her own and all that!
I found my GP shortly after the birth of my first kidlet. I love her so much. In the middle of a recent appointment, I threw my phone at said firstborn, hoping she’d find some Peppa Pig to allow me to converse with Dr Jenny. Instead she found iTunes, and as the first few notes wafted through the air at full volume, Dr Jenny reacted with “Florence and the Machine? Nice choice, kid.” It made me love her even more.
P.S I used to work at an ad agency and one of my clients was a big Pharma that produced thrush cream. Needless to say, my ad career was neither successful not long.
hahhahaha what can you even write? I mean “itch got you down?”, there’s only so many places you can go! If i’d given my kids my phone, they’d have gone straight to YouTube and watched those infernal My Little Pony unboxing videos… no cool tunes for us haha
I have THE best GP at the moment who has really helped me with my thyroid condition – his understanding of it and best ways to treat go above and beyond. It feels like a team effort.
Isn’t it good when you feel like your concerns are being cared for? makes all the difference.
I adore our family GP. One act of kindness over ten years ago, when he went above and beyond because he had a heart, made me stick with him forever more. None of the others I’ve seen have come even close.
Oh what a sweet guy! No wonder you stuck around 😀
My last pap was the best too. I figure it had something to do with squeezing out a 10 pounder fatty only 6 weeks prior. The docs instruments were nothing my vage couldn’t handle after that. Good doctors stay with us don’t they? They feel like a old friend. The good ones really care and it’s pretty crystal clear which ones they are.
haha like throwing a sausage down a hallway!
Oh I can so relate to your story! I used to work at a Hospital – I was 19 when I started so of course the doctors were always always older, until one day a doctor started work who was 6 months younger than me! I thought yeah well I guess I’ve been here along time now they are bound to catch up! Then a few years later the doctors all started to be younger and my dr who is 6 months younger than me became the Med Super and that started to make me feel old! Then another few years later I was the Manager of all things Doctor – and all the doctors were younger than me!!!!! So then on for all those awkward kinda lady part issues – I’d get a referral to any dr on the planet I hadn’t employed or managed – this usually required a trip to the big city and a shopping trip – so there were advantages to waking up at 39 realising I had gotten old – and responsible for those younger doctors!
haha it really is quite the barometer of age isn’t it? It just takes so long to become a doctor I couldn’t quite believe I was past that. I can imagine you’d want to go elsewhere for lady exams – I worked for a gastroenterologist and swore if I need a colonoscopy I’d be going to anyone else! Although he was amazing.
I love my gp…..but way more importantly did you say you’re pregnant hun. ? If so congratulations and when did this happen and how did I miss the announcement. ?
No my darling, not this time around!
Wait. What? Is this a surprise “I have thrush and I’m pregnant” announcement? How did I miss this?
Haha. Well…now I feel REALLY old at age 40! I think the first time I felt old was a few years ago when I was at McDonald’s and ordered a small coffee.
The pimply-faced kid said, “Okay…one senior coffee…will that complete your order?”
I raised an eyebrow and replied, “Yes. One senior coffee.”
When you’re a freelancer, every penny counts!
SENIOR coffee? oh man! (I’d probably buy it too though!)