Not quite like the movies...

When you see people go to the doctor or to the consultant on TV and in movies, how come the surgeries always look so good? Almost like futuristic hotel rooms. Okay, perhaps not so much on English TV where they are gritty, to reflect the grittiness of an underfunded tired, overburdened medical system on the verge of collapse. Or maybe that image has changed since I lived back in the UK. Anyway, suffice to say, my canadian experience is more towards the "UK version" then the "US (TV) version". I had to see the doctor (surgeon) last week about my upcoming breast surgery. The office is small, cold-seeming, with out-of-date dog-eared magazines and the obligatory receptionist/gate keeper. I was told I'd have to wait for at least half an hour for my appointment. No, "I'm sorry...the doctor is running late". Just, "take a seat and wait".

After a while I got taken out of the relative comfort and companionship of the main waiting area in to the "the doctor will be with you shortly" room. Nothing in the room seemed that clean to me, it never does. The colours are always drab and I quicky got bored looking at the "diseases of the digestive system" poster. The only "decoration" in the room aside from framed photocopies of various doctor/surgeon awards and certificates. Where are those warm, comfortable, modern, clean, friendly places that you see on TV? Not anywhere near me...and not unless your going private. BC doesn't have a private system...well, actually it does. But you're not allowed to talk about it. The surgeon was friendly in a matter-of-fact sort of way. He read my notes, "says here there is highly suspicious area of microcalcification. Well, don't worry, we'll take care of that". I didn't even know my report said "highly suspicious!" Then it's blah, blah...we'll do the procedure in 2 weeks. "Do you care to tell me what procedure...what you do...how long it takes...what comes after"...holy crap - what is with doctors. So I have to wait a couple of weeks and go for a biopsy where they are going to take out about 3cm and then send it to pathology. Apparently, it is a short procedure, done under local anasthetic. So two more weeks of worry..followed by another week or so after that. FUN TIMES.....not! Fortunately, I am so busy that I don't have much time to think about it.