Great Health in Marshall

This afternoon Nancy and I had back-to-back doctor appointments. The purpose of the appointments were to develop a relationship with a Marshall doctor and subject ourselves to a preliminary physical.

As we walked toward our doctor's office we past another doctor's office. Must have been 20 people in the waiting room. First thought to come to mind was, "Why can't a doctor ever keep an appointment?"

We enter our doctor's office. Only one other person in the waiting room. As we approached the receptionist we were greeted with a smile and a pleasant hello. Of course, I knew they must have at least a dozen examination rooms all filled with people and it would be at least an hour before I even heard a doctor's voice.

We were handed the customary forms to fill out. Lets see, how many times a week do I drink? Look, all I want is a doctor who can identify me as a male patient the next time I show up with the flu. Oh, well.

At the time of my appointment a nurse opens the door to the examination rooms, smiles, and ask me to follow her. Oh great, trade the semi-comfortable waiting room for a cold sterile examination room and the customary hour wait for the doctor. As I walk in I count only three examination rooms, this can't be. There must be a hall door to more rooms.

The nurse takes my blood pressure in my left arm and says it is 110/70. I laugh and say, "Are you sure? I am typically borderline high at around 135/90." She walks around to my right arm, pumps me up, and says, "This arm reads 124/81." Now I laughed and say it must be the Marshall life style that has my blood pressure so low. We chat for a few more minutes, she heads for the door, and says the doctor will be right with me. What a great nurse and why did she have to spoil it all with such a known lie. Sure the doctor will be right with me!

I open my book and before I finish reading two pages the door opens and in walks the doctor. He is all smiles. We talk for a few minutes and he starts running through various tests. Any test I ask a question about he happily answers the question and then gives additional information if I look puzzled. He listens to my heart and asks, "Are you a runner?" I laugh and say the only running I do is from my office chair to the kitchen for a snack. The doctor says my heart beat is a very healthy "slow" and he thought I must be a runner.

As he continues to prod and look he asks, "Is Nancy Key any relationship to Holbart Key?" Oh no, I am found out! I truthfully answer, "Yes". The doctor says, "we bought their house". I answer with a partial truth, "Yes, I know we met the previous owners who told us you had bought it." We go on to another subject. Ah, he hasn't put it together that not only are we related to Holbart Key but to Knox Key the man who is suing him!

In all fairness to Knox let me explain the suit. A dead tree in the doctor's yard blew over in a storm and crushed a small historical house belonging the Fisher and Garrett. Knox is handling the damage suit since the doctor's home owner insurance refuses to pay for the damages.

The doctor leaves me for Nancy. Again the doctor was all smiles and as we compared notes later we both agreed had the best "bedside" manner of any doctor we had met. And, he continue his great bedside manner even after Nancy had to admit Knox was her brother!

Another good reason to move to Marshall: In Denver where everyone is running, jumping, pumping iron, dieting and living the healthy life style; Nancy and I are of average health. In Marshall where any one running has a pit bull behind them, the only jumping is of bail, pumping iron is something you do to pass the time in jail, dieting is only having two fried meals in a day and nobody lives a healthy life style; Nancy and I are in great health.