Years ago when Belly was just a
girl, we sucked up some courage and took off to the doctors to get some nasties
burnt off her elbow. I sat and described relaxing scenes and I think I might
have stroked her hair while the guy went at the elbow and I can seem to recall
some tears, whether Bell’s or mine I am not at all sure.
Today we went off again to her
doctor to have some plantar warts burnt off her foot. These have spread a bit like
topsy during the shitful scrubbing of the bins era – now blessedly over. She
sucked it up and I was pleased to think I would be far away from the action end
and in we went.
Belly’s doctor is of the old school.
Not much in the way of how are you s or pleased to meet you s. He sat down told
Belly to put her foot on his leg and he was at it. I thought she might lie on
the bed and I would stroke her hair and he would work smellily at the other
end. I thought he might discuss what he was gonna do before he did it, and
explain the whole procedure and what would happen next. In short I guess I was
expecting a bit of modern parenting.
Instead we got a bit of old
fashioned, no nonsense, and I liked it. Belly was understandably nervous and he
just didn’t allow her anytime to get worked up. It was all over bar the
shouting – mine not Belly’s cos she had grabbed hold of my hand pretty tightly,
in less than 5 minutes!! As he worked he told us that it will take a few goes
at it to get rid of ‘em altogether. Belly wasn’t keen to hear this news but
afterwards when she thought about how unremarkable the whole thing was, in
terms of pain and time, she is happy to front up again next Wednesday.
Sometimes it is just better to
crack on with things and forego all the banter and explanations and
negotiations. Sometimes best results are achieved by simply telling people what
to do.
That’s so long as I get to do the
telling of course.
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