Happy Doctor’s Day :(

It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Texas.  I wore my brightest dress for the Houston Children’s Festival.   I came prepared with water bottle, juice, an apple, pistachios and a greek yogurt, which easily fills me up.  I conducted vision screens and measured heights and weights.

Cute kiddie copying me as I check his brother’s vision.

So there I was standing in the hot blazing sun checking kids eyes until I felt I would pass out from heat stroke.  I took cover in the shade and helped with face painting at regular intervals depending on the shade cast over our tent.   Then my shift was over and I went on my way.

Fast Forward to Sunday morning.  I slept well the night before but woke up feeling a bit sluggish.  I didn’t make it to church for Palm Sunday and I never miss Palm Sunday Service.  So I watched Dr. Charles Stanley, played my WOW Gospel 2000 and slowly started my day.  I looked in the mirror and noticed my eyes were red.  Assuming I had just too wild of a time with the kiddies, I decided to go to bed early for much needed eye rest.  I slept 12 hrs that night.  Monday morning I woke up with my eyes crusted shut.  Holy Moly!  Yes, strings of mucous and all that gross stuff.  Bilateral Conjunctivitis!!!!  And immediately I thought of all those sweet little bacteria-wielding children I played with.  I played over agin in my mind me asking my staff for paper towels and water to wipe my hands and them telling me we had none.  I recalled wishing I had packed hand sanitizer.  And these thoughts made me sad.

Today is Doctor’s Day.  It’s not often doctor’s get shown appreciation for all they do.  And here I was spending mine riddled with the affliction of the ones I heal.  My mother managed to get me through my entire childhood without having pink eye, chicken pox, or strept throat.  Since I’ve been a doctor I have been victim to the flu (on pediatric rotation), Pneumonia (during gen surg rotation), most certainly colonized with MRSA and now conjunctivitis as a practicing physician.

Today is Doctor’s Day.  I am missing my Doctor’s appreciation breakfast because I’m contagious.  Happy Doctor’s Day to Me.