I sat on the stiff examination table, the crinkly paper beneath me already shredded from my fidgeting. My legs dangled over the edge, not quite touching the floor, and I stared at the ugly clock on the wall as the minutes ticked by (can they hang up better artwork and stuff? I mean seriously!), waiting for Dr. Connolly to come in.
I’d been waiting for almost twenty minutes, and my patience was wearing thin.
Finally, the door opened, and Dr. Connolly strode in, flipping through my chart like it was just another file in her stack for the day.
She barely looked at me as she sat down on the little stool, pen in hand, ready to take notes on whatever I had to say.
“So, what brings you in today?” she asked, eyes still on the chart.
Obesity care deserves more than headlines about the newest medication. SoMeDocs offers expert-led education on weight loss medications, comprehensive strategies, aging populations, and the deeper clinical conversations shaping obesity medicine.
Evidence-informed Use of Supplements for Weight Loss and Metabolic Support
Cutting Through the Noise: Confronting Social Media Misinformation on Nutrition and Weight Loss Medications
The Hunger Code: Decoding Emotional Eating for Lasting Weight Management
The Role of Exercise in Treating Obesity
Creating a Patient-First Comprehensive Obesity Treatment Strategy
The Importance of Weight Care In An Aging Population
Food is Medicine: A Recipe for Heart Disease Reduction
Understanding Weight Loss Medications: A Comprehensive Guide for Patients and Providers
What’s in Your Pantry, Fridge and Freezer, and Why it Matters
I cleared my throat. “Well, I’ve been having this really sharp pain in my lower back, and it’s been getting worse over the past few weeks. It kind of shoots down my leg sometimes, too. I’m not sure if it’s a muscle strain or something more serious, but it’s starting to affect my sleep and—”
Her phone buzzed. Loudly. The kind of buzz that makes it impossible to ignore.
She glanced at it, then back at me, as if debating something. Her face had that ‘should-I-or-shouldn’t-I’ look. I continued, hoping she’d let it go.
“…so I thought maybe it could be a pinched nerve, or—”
“Sorry,” she cut me off, holding up a finger. “This will just take a second. It’s my daughter.”
Doctor Directory
The internet is crowded. Real expertise should be easier to find. SoMeDocs features forward-thinking healthcare innovators in creative, searchable, and highly visible ways.
Before I could even respond, she had already swiped the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.
“Hi, sweetie,” she said, her tone instantly warmer, as if she’d forgotten I was even in the room. “What’s going on?”
I blinked, not sure what to do with my hands.
Was I supposed to pretend this wasn’t happening?
Should I stare at the wall or make myself invisible? Instead, I just sat there, back aching, while she carried on with her conversation.
“No, honey, you don’t need to use your left hand there,” she was saying. “The G-sharp is with your right, remember? And then you roll into the chord. Yes, just like we practiced.”
Was I supposed to pretend this [my doctor taking an non-emergent call during my visit] wasn’t happening? Should I stare at the wall or make myself invisible?
She was helping her daughter with piano lessons.
Right there, in the middle of my appointment.
Not an emergency.
Not a crisis.
A piano lesson.
My jaw clenched, and I could feel my nails digging into my palms.
I mean, I get it, being a parent is hard, but really? Now?
Menopause deserves more than whispers, hot-flash jokes, and confusing advice from the internet. SoMeDocs is curating a virtual lineup covering psychology, intimacy, symptom support, and clinical insight for the public and healthcare professionals alike.
I sat there, half in pain, half in disbelief, while she continued to talk her daughter through the finer points of a musical piece I couldn’t care less about.
My leg had started to throb again, and I shifted uncomfortably, hoping the movement would somehow remind her that, hey, you know, I was still here.
In her office. Waiting.
She didn’t notice.
“Yep, uh-huh, you’ve got it. No, don’t worry, just keep practicing and I’ll help you again tonight. Okay, love you.”
He wrote The House of God. Now he’s back in conversation, taking on healthcare with the same sharp eye, wit, and candor, exclusively on SoMeDocs. Watch Season II here.
She finally hung up, flashing me an apologetic smile, though I could tell it wasn’t entirely sincere.
“Sorry about that,” she said, setting the phone down like nothing had happened. “Kids, you know?”
I forced a tight smile, but inside, I was fuming. “Yeah,” I muttered, “I can imagine.”
“So, you were saying about your back pain?” she asked, her pen poised again, like we could just seamlessly continue where we left off. But we couldn’t, because I couldn’t get past the fact that she’d just paused my whole appointment for a piano lesson.
I started again, explaining my symptoms, but the words felt flat now, like they didn’t even matter.
