Though I’m not usually one to be at a loss for words, I often experience a uniquely gratifying feeling that I find difficult to describe while interacting with many of my patients. There is a special bond, born of familiarity, comfort and ease that transcends the typical doctor/patient relationship. Perhaps it’s best portrayed as a unique type of friendship that invites a warm exchange of feelings, stories and ideas. My spirits soar when I think about how practicing dentistry has expanded my world by enabling me to be involved (dare I say be“ intimate”) with so many wonderful people. One person at a time over a course of many appointments spanning many years, being a dentist has led to some amazing relationships.
So, one of the highlights of my week was seeing Jennifer Bahme in my office. Jen has been a patient of mine for more than ten years and what made her visit especially heart-warming is that she now lives in Spain. This wasn’t the first occasion that I’ve seen her since she decided to pull up stakes and move to Madrid. This time she came to New York on a 4-day whirlwind trip to attend to some matters that needed tending to including a dental appointment with me. Now how good do you think that makes me feel? I’ve heard of the guy who would “walk a mile for a Camel” (I know I’m dating myself citing old cigarette ads not seen on TV for at least 20 years), but Jen flew 6,000 miles to see moi. (I choose to downplay the other things she had to do.) We had such a warm reunion prior, during and after her dental visit with the hygienist. “Unfortunately”, Jen had broken a tooth and I had the “pleasure” of seeing her again later in the day to remedy the problem and to commiserate further.
Jen is a fantastic person simultaneously interesting and interested in our banter. I remember some time ago how she moved to Costa Rica for a year before she returned to the big apple. This time her relocation seems more permanent for reasons I won’t share, except to say that I look forward to visiting her and her Spanish boyfriend when my wife and I go to Madrid. For the record, Jennifer has not been reading my blog but promised to do so if I wrote about her.
So Jen, this one’s for you.
