Whiplash

After enduring an increasing amount of pain in my right shoulder and neck for three weeks I decided to make an appointment with my orthopedist, who happens to be one of the kindest and best doctors I know. I anguished about the appointment because I felt I was turning to him inappropriately-for emotional comfort, not physical relief but the pain kept up and interfered with what sleep I was getting, so I went. I first saw his physician's assistant, a boor. I really dislike intently medical  folk who neither introduce themselves nor refer to the patient by name when they enter the exam room.. He put me through my range of shoulder/arm motions. I explained that I felt that the pain was arthritic at its base but aggravated by increased tension carried through my shoulders and neck since my husband died three weeks before. No comment. He left and a few minutes Dr. M. came in with the assistant on his heels. Somehow I assumed the boor had told Dr. M.. about my news. I was put through my paces again for the doctor's benefit - all the while Mr. Boor leaned in a corner commenting about how the exam he had performed had gone. When he said that I let Dr. M. move my arm higher than I had let him, I informed him that it was because I trusted Dr.M. more . A little bit of verbal volleying between Dr. M and myself r evealed that his assistant had not considered it important or significant enough to tell Dr. M. that my husband and his patient, also, had recently died.. (Of what import was this visit if not to pre-advise the doctor. of the patient's state?? Or maybe he thought it was my show and tell for the day!)  . When I told Dr. M. he was shocked and we started to talk about the details. We had a very helpful conversation. I didn't realize until later that he was the first person I had talked with about what had happened for whom I had not felt the need to filter the information in order to shield some realities of the circumstances. In other words I had not had to be concerned aboout the listener's loss. That alone was therapeutic. It messed up his afternoon schedule, but he didn't act as if that was highest concern at the time. Those two aspects were so very helpful - and truly demonstrated Dr. M. has remembered possibly one of the reasons he became a doctor. Would I feel the same if I were the one waiting to see him? Yes, I had stated so several times: He gives each patient what they need which may take extra time, but I know that when it is my turn he will do the same for me.
Back to the diagnosis. Dr. M.. said the pains were muscle spasms. He said "I've seen enough whiplash to know it when I see it." Wow! I wanted to know if he knew how precisely accurate he was, but I just quietly mulled over the definition of "whiplash": The body's painful response to an abrupt, dramatic change of direction.