A Show of Humanity

I've been sick since Saturday evening. Today is Wednesday and, while I'm feeling better, I'm still a bit run down still. I started feeling bad Saturday at dinner time and I went to bed early. I woke up several times during the night and barely made it to the bathroom before loosing my dinner.

By the time Tuesday rolled around, I was whipped. I hadn't eaten anything that I could keep down since my lunch on Saturday. Even water wasn't staying around long. The Asst. Zookeeper announced that he was taking the night off work and that I was going down to the hospital. I didn't even argue - I was relieved.

The ER was busy Tuesday night. After chatting with the nurse (who didn't even make eye contact with me), I went to spend the next hour and a half in the waiting room. It's really hard to curl up in one of those chairs when you don't feel well, but I managed.

Once I was taken back, I met Dr. Lewitt. He's probably in his mid to late fifties. He came into my area, introduced himself, shook my hand. And he made eye contact with me this entire time - none of that chart-flipping that doctors tend to do.

Then he startled me. He SAT DOWN. He would ask me a question and look at me while I answered, then he would write something after I had finished my answer. Then he would ask the next question. He was very personable and never appeared to be in a hurry.

After I'd been hooked to an IV for fluids for a while, he came back in and said that he wanted me to drink some juice. If I could keep it down, then I would be allowed to go home. He listed the drinks they had available and I picked one. Then he went and got it HIMSELF, and brought me a cup with ice and poured it for me.

I left the hospital thinking that he was a really great doctor. But then, he called the house on Wednesday to check on me. The Asst. Zookeeper talked to him. He said he was just calling to see how I was doing since he had released me from the ER. I've NEVER had a doctor call my house for any reason. Usually, it's a secretary who calls, and that's just about making or rescheduling an appointments. He calls himself just to see if I was doing better.

Wow.