The "One Of The Chosen Few" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my  lounge chair, typing my latest edition for my blog and wondering if I should maybe take a couple of extra strength Tylenol for the pain in my chest.  The local anesthetic that I had placed in my chest a few hours ago is starting to subside and the pain from removing my latest bout of skin cancer is wearing on me.  Story began years ago when I went to a dermatologist for the first time.  

Dr. Bruce Brod

I met Dr. Brod during that meeting for the first time.  He has been my medical savior since that time.  During my visit today I found that Dr. Brod has added me to his list of patients he will continue to see in the future due to the high amount of basil and squamous cell cancers that I have had removed by him in the past.  Recently both Carol and I received letters in the mail from Dermatology Associates, where Dr. Brod practices, telling us that Dr. Brod, because of his extremely busy schedule, will only be seeing those patients whom he considers high risk.  Wasn't more than a month ago that I called to make my nine month appointment with Dr. Brod and was told that his schedule was full.  I could call in another month and try again or make an appointment with another doctor.  Not wanting to wait more than the nine months which he has always recommended, I reluctantly changed doctors.  Then, shortly after making my new appointment, I made a visit to my family doctor for a physical and he saw a growth on my chest that he said I should have checked by Dr. Brod.  Well, I called and talked to the scheduling secretary at Dermatology Associates and after she asked whom I usually see, made an appointment for me with Dr. Brod.  He greeted me today and we talked about how I was doing and after my response, I asked him if he is still going to be the dermatologist for our local professional baseball team again this year.  "Yes, and not only that, I leave in two weeks for Florida where I will be working with the Baltimore Orioles.  Baseball players are more prone to skin cancer than many because of their constant sun exposure.  And, after the season starts I will be helping another doctor in Baltimore with the Orioles."  Busy man, so he is!  He examined my chest and before long I had a lengthy scar with seven stitches.  While checking to see when my regular visit with him was to be, he said he didn't see my next scheduled appointment on his calendar.  I explained I couldn't get an appointment with him and he replied that I was one of his patients whom he wanted to continue to see every nine months.  He quickly found a space on his calendar for me and removed the appointment I had previously made with the other doctor.  I guess I should feel honored that the former President of the Dermatology Association in Pennsylvania, as well as one of the doctors who is working to have a law passed in Pennsylvania to ban tanning beds for anyone under 18 years old, wants to continue to see me as a patient.  
To have someone so well qualified and respected by his peers is a little frightening, since he is seeing me because I am considered high risk.  But, that will have to wait tonight, since the pain is stirting to make me strika too many wroig keys and I neef to take a feq pills.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.