When Patients Become Therapists

My husband and I are so busy we have resorted to resolving our issues through our patients.

No joke.

Our mutual patient saw me in the office the other day and reported back to me on the ‘birthday situation.’

Birthday situation?

I put on a quizzical expression and my patient clearly caught on, because she proceeded with an explanation.

“Your husband’s birthday- it’s a big one this year and you’re working that day!”

Oh. 

I knee-jerked quickly, defending myself with a long-winded speech worthy of the final remarks of a trial lawyer.

You see, I had been placed on call for the weekend of his birthday, and it was chosen randomly. When I asked to switch the date, no other weekend fit on our end. We were going away, or had some inflexible plan that couldn’t get switched and..

Wait a minute. I was amidst my super-great explanation of why I was justified, when I realized this was my patient. 

I found the situation humorous and she felt the same. We laughed. Apparently, being so busy, our family affairs are now being handled by mutual patients.

They’ve become therapists.

I told her I’d send her a check in the mail (for her attempt to therapeutically fix our issue) and sent her merrily on her way, with the prescription she had come in to get and a message for ‘the other Dr. Corriel.’

Hey funny guy, you’re gonna pay for this later 😉