Thursday 11 July 2019

It's Nothing Serious

I have just been to the Doctor's.   Nothing serious and I was in all of three minutes.   But sitting in the waiting room and looking round at the others waiting it struck me how 'anything goes' these days on visits to the doctor.  I had a shower, put on clean clothes from skin upwards, had on a jumper which was easy to remove if I needed to do so.   At least I tried to look 'appetising' for want of a better word.   If I put myself in the doctor's shoes for a minute I can only think it is bad enough looking at elderly bodies but it is slightly less so if they are clean and sweet smelling.

There seemed to me to be a lot of very scruffy folk in that waiting room and a lot of young people in very scanty clothes.   Does that matter?   I suppose not in these days of anything goes, but it did make me smile remembering the day I started at University as a Mature Student in 1968.   I had a Lambretta Scooter to get me there and I felt that trousers were the better option.   I had to report myself to Miss Ruff (the Deputy Principal and in charge of women's welfare) and ask her permission to wear trousers.   I have never forgotten her reply - yes, I may wear trousers to arrive on my scooter but I must change immediately into a skirt upon arrival and I must wear the trousers 'with decorum'.   How times have changed.

26 comments:

the veg artist said...

I'm sure your efforts were appreciated. If nothing else, it showed that you are compus mentis enough to get yourself together!

Christine Hancock said...

Glad to hear it was nothing serious and I agree with the clean from skin up.. like you I could be introduced to the queen when I visit my Dr.. altho no hat, but certainly smartly dressed.

Anonymous said...

Good that all is well, I laughed when you said about doctors dealing with elderly bodies lol, I think the same way you do!

Kippy said...

I worked at a clinic and always amazed at how so many people obviously hadn’t showered in days and were unaware/unconcerned about body odor. I asked one of the doctors how he tolerated the smells and he said he’d gotten immune to noticing them. Some people came in clothes I’d wear gardening. No effort spent spiffing up. Then you’d get the occasional senior lady who obviously never left home without showering, who was well coiffed, makeup well done and wearing a beautiful outfit.

JayCee said...

I am glad that there is nothing seriously wrong and I know what you mean about the lack of effort from some people in at least trying to look presentable. Your post did cause me to remember when I was working full time, I taught the local hospital staff how to use the healthcare computer system. The classes were in a small room, quite warm with PCs and printers chugging away all day. A few times I was in close proximity to a couple of junior doctors who, quite frankly, could have done with a bit of soap and some deodorant. Goodness knows how their sick patients must have felt with them leaning over their beds.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I injured myself while working on the farm once and got whisked into Accident and Emergency. It can't have been nice for anybody - but I did get seen to very promptly!
I'm wondering how you might wear trousers without decorum - rolled up to the knee perhaps or hip-hop fashion with your underwear showing above the waistband.

Heather said...

My goodness - how I agree with you. I am always as clean as possible for any medical appointment, even having my eyes tested. The optician has to bend over me closely to do a thorough examination of my eyes.
My husband was always clean in his person but would go out in his 'work' trousers for a newspaper, etc. On one occasion we were having our flu jabs and I said to him 'I see you've put on your best trousers', which raised a smile on the nurses face.

Tom Stephenson said...

Skin upwards? What do you wear under the skin Weave?

Derek Faulkner said...

I guess that most of us try to be as presentable as you were but some people have to nip out from work to make an appointment and sometimes that work is the cleanest, I guess.

Derek Faulkner said...

Above should say "isn't the cleanest"

Penhill said...

I have a friend who does Smear Tests,and I would hate to put anyone off from getting one,but please be considerate!

Hilary said...

You made me laugh out loud.......I had a Lambretta scooter, hot pink, back in the day.......1965, I believe. What fun that was.

Gwil W said...

Dad would put his best suit on to go and vote. Mum would accompany him in her twin set - no pearls. They taught us four children to wear clean underwear in case we had an accident and had to be taken to hospital. We were told that we weren't kids. Kids were goats in those days. And adults were adults not grown ups. My doctor, Dr J, always gave me a bar of chocolate if I went with my bad ear. When I was older Doctor H would give me a slug of whiskey if I had flu symptoms.

crafty cat corner said...

I could not agree with you more about the sense of dress now. I remember when I had shoes, bag and gloves at all times and it used to look lovely. Tom always had on a shirt and tie and looked clean.
We are the same. If we have to go to the doctor its clean all over.
Glad all is okay for you.
Briony
x

Ruth said...

I wish we could go back to those days! Cleanliness and modesty have all but disappeared. Some folks aren't even careful about dressing properly for church. It matters, out of respect for yourself and for others.

I'm glad you're well!! Stay that way, Pat!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Weaver, I think you have struck a nerve with us older folk. I'm constantly appalled at the level of undress that seems to be okay these days in particular. There's no such thing as appropriate dress anymore. From my mother I learned how important good grooming/cleanliness/and wearing your best clothes were for doctor's appointments, church, the work world, even going on planes we dressed up. It showed such respect all round. The old photos show a much better attired people.

Sue said...

Different dress doesn't bother me, but cleanliness does. I always make my mammogram appointments for first thing in the morning since you aren't supposed to wear any deodorant or powder!

Alphie Soup said...

I can see I fall well short in the judgmental area with regard to appearances of others in medical waiting rooms. I agree dress standards have changed over sixty years and people are not as conformist as they were. I tend to look at people for who they are as a person first and how they dress comes later.
Alphie

Derek Faulkner said...

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the times of my childhood in the 1950's, where you would see adult men sitting on a deck chair on the beach on a hot Sunday afternoon, in a suit and tie. Gawd knows how hot and sweaty they must of got in the name of dressing properly.

Virginia said...

Well, that takes me back too!

When I was at Training College, in the mid 1970s we were not allowed to walk through the next-door school (a "Normal School" designating that they trained teachers there) if we were in trousers, and the men were not allowed to wear jeans at any time. And when I later taught there in the mid 1980s, all the women teachers worn formal clothes - suits or neat dresses. How things have changed!

DO you remember further back, when the length of the school gym was measured by us kneeling on the floor and no uniform hem could be more than 2 inches above the knee!!

Librarian said...

A little more decorum wouldn't go amiss on many I see out on the streets or on the train every day, but I agree with Derek, it wouldn't have to be so proper as to be uncomfortable (and unreasonable). Appropriate is what matters - when you do sports, wear your sports kit, but when you go to a restaurant, wear something nice, and when you go shopping, be presentable. When you go to the doctor's, being clean is more important than being fashionable.

Mary said...

Evidently some doctors notice. I accompanied my husband to his doctor appointment last week. It is very hot and humid here, but I was dressed in a light tunic with trousers and had a long, lightweight soft blue scarf over my shoulders (helps with air-conditioning). Basically, the same type of clothing I always wear when I go out. My husband was sitting on the exam table and I was sitting in the corner opposite the door when the doctor entered. His eyes opened wide momentarily, he smiled and then the first thing he said, in a surprised tone, was "You look very nice". I almost laughed, but instead said thank you and we got on with the appointment.

thelma said...

I think the Librarian has said it all. I cannot bear being 'dressed up' far too shy and so will dress comfortable but washed and clean of course!

Linda Metcalf said...

When I was a young girl in school, we were only allowed pants under our dresses and then for very cold and frosty days. Times they do change. I look around the waiting rooms and know I could never be a Dr.

JanF said...

Like Virginia I do remember kneeling on the gym floor to check our uniform hem length.
Later, when I worked for an airline I remember that the female gate agents were finally allowed to wear trousers/pants but the uniform size stopped at size 12. Larger than that and it had to be a skirt!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Nothing under the skin Tom - I am far too thick skinned.

Thanks to you all - such interesting comments.