He doesn’t rush his people through, like we do in the hospital. Instead, he chats with them about their lives and their families. He small talks about things going on in town, and he’s even offered dining recommendations. Only then does he perform a physical exam.
He told me that by starting out slowly, people are less anxious about why they’re at the doctor’s office. He shared that those who get nervous, and have higher blood pressure readings because of it, will have more accurate readings after a nice chat. Patients who are inclined to embellish their symptoms suddenly don’t.
Edward very wisely told me that people just want to be seen and heard. He said that a lot of them come to a doctor before medical intervention is needed simply to feel like someone cares. He gives them that before tending to their complaints.
One woman told Edward she’d not been feeling well since her husband died eight months earlier. Edward assured her, “We’ll do all the necessary tests to find out if there’s a problem.” Thenhe added, “But grief hurts. Not just emotionally, it can cause real physical pain.”
Helen, his patient, seemed relieved to hear this. She told Edward, “My world stopped spinning when John died, but everyone else just keeps moving forward.”
“It doesn’t seem right, does it?” he asked.
She simply burst into tears. “I don’t expect everyone to feel as badly as I do, but most of our friends have stopped checking in. Even our kids have kept living like the most devastating thing in the world didn’t just happen to me.”
“Everyone mourns differently,” Edward told her. “Just because they don’t show it on the outside doesn’t mean they aren’t grieving, too.”
After he examined Helen, he assured her that her physical health looked great, but he told her that her emotional health needed tending to. Most doctors would have probably told her she was fine and sent her on her merry way. But Edward gave Helen a referral to a counselor, he offered her suggestions about attending a support group, and he even advised she talk to her pastor. Then he excused himself and went to his office.
When he came back, he was carrying a small white bag. In it was a large ginger snap he’d bought at Rosemary’s that morning. He gave it to Helen and told her, “They’re not magic, but they’re pretty great.” Then he winked at her and said, “Do nice things for yourself while you grieve, Helen. You’re worth it.”
She left the building with a smile on her face. Not because she was suddenly happy but because Edward took the time to validate her feelings. He showed her that he cared. Hesawher and it was a beautiful thing to witness.
I’m only going in for half a day today because I want to get to the store and fill up the house with food for my family. I don’t feel secure enough on the highway to pick them up at the airport myself—not that there would be enough room in mycar. Instead, I hired Kevin next door to collect them. I can only imagine what my mom is going to think when she gets a load of his old Cadillac.
I leave work later than I had planned because our last patient had a very questionable looking lump in his throat. Edward called a colleague who’s an ear, nose, and throat specialist to see him right away.
Once the man left, Edward told me, “I’d bet my left foot it’s cancer.”
We talked for over an hour about how hard it is when people get a bad diagnosis. Unlike my job in the ER—where we see patients and then either admit them or send them home—Edward continues to track his patients’ journeys. Even when they’re referred to specialists, he stays on their case. I can see why he finds his job so rewarding.
On my way from Edward’s clinic to the grocery store, I see Finley walking down the street. Pulling over, I give the horn a brief tap to get her attention. She doesn’t even stop and look. Hurrying to park, I get out and call, “Finley!”
Again, she ignores me. I wonder if she has earbuds in or something. Jogging over to her, I touch her arm and say, “Hey, you. Long time no see.”
She stops walking but she doesn’t turn in my direction. Instead, with her back to me, she responds, “I’ve been in the same place I’ve always been.”
Uh-oh, I’m in the doghouse.“I’m sorry I haven’t called but I’ve been super busy at work,” I tell her. “I’ve missed seeing you.”
That causes her to spin around so quickly she almost loses her balance. Regaining her footing, she looks at me and demands, “Really?”
“Yes.” I have no idea what’s going on with her, but whatever it is, it’s making me nervous. “I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.”
I’m about to explain the idiom means, when she snaps, “I know what it means.”
This is certainly not how I thought it would go when I saw Finley again. She’s really mad at me. Other than my not talking to her for a few days, I can’t imagine why. And even then, I told her I was going to be busy this week.
I decide a change of subject is in order. “So how does the calendar look? Is it amazing? Can I come into the shop and see it?”
“It’s fine,” she says with no inflection in her voice to give credence to that statement. “And no, you can’t see it now. I have a client coming in.”
“You could just hand it to me. I wouldn’t have to go through it there.”
“No,” she replies. “I’ll see you at your house at five. I need to go.” Then she turns around and practically sprints away from me. I briefly wonder if Frankie might have some insights into what’s going on here. Out of the three men I talked to about Finley, he was the one who seemed most battle-savvy.
I figure there’s no point in going after her now; she clearly doesn’t want to talk to me. Which makes me uneasy about her meeting my family. Maybe I should cancel with her for tonight and set something up for another day. Although, I’m guessing that will only make her madder.
I turn around and get back into my car and go to the grocery store. I buy everything I can think of that will impress my mother and help convince her that I don’t live at the veryedge of the earth. But being that Elk Lake doesn’t carry the same selection she’s used to in Manhattan, I probably haven’t succeeded.
When I get home, I turn up the thermostat and put fresh logs in the fireplace. Then I make sure the spare rooms are ready to go. At four thirty on the dot, I see Adelaide pull into the driveway. I hurry out to help Kevin get the luggage out of the trunk.
