Guilty, Even When Innocent

There's nothing quite as uncomfortable as going with your wife to the doctor, especially when she's been injured. Such has been the case with my wife's hand for the last couple of months. She hurt it in November, and being a nurse, put off actually going to get it checked out for a week.

When she finally did go to the "Fast-Med" they took an x-ray and said that it just looks bruised. No sprain, and nothing broken, so that's good. I stayed home for that visit, and my wife is telling me about the "private survey" they take to make sure you haven't been abused at home. it's a pretty cool practice, in my opinion, just to make sure women (and some guys) have a confidential outlet in case abuse is happening. The problem comes along later, when I come along to the doctor visit.

Back to the hand, which isn't getting better after the first visit, so an appointment for the Orthopedic exam is booked. I attend that one, where there is also a private consult, to make sure she's not lying about her injury at the hand of an abuser. I get the evil stare, since no matter what my wife is telling them about "Girls Night Out" and the hotel stay, and me being home with the kids, I will never rise above "suspect" in their minds. God forbid you make a joke about the injury.

After further review, the hand IS broken, and has ligament damage (what kind of husband DOES THIS?) so now we have to schedule surgery. Again, the sideways stares while my wife recounts the injury.

I, of course, chime in how nurses never take their own health seriously. That's not appreciated by the nurses and doctor in the audience, and I politely offer to wait outside. I'm sure they are asking her, "Now that he's gone..." questions in my absence.

I think there needs to be a medical alert bracelet, like the one you wear when you're allergic to something, or a diabetic, that says, "I've been vetted vigorously and I did not cause the injury you're treating," so that I can help be part of the healing process.