Saturday, December 15, 2007

Ahhhh!

I've been meaning to ask this question for some time, but keep forgetting.

One time, a few years ago, I managed to give my doctor quite a surprise, and vice versa. I had a cold and he wanted to examine my throat. He turned on his little light and peered in, I dutifully said, "Ahhhh!" and he reared back and shouted,

"Whoa! What did you do that for?"

It was a bit embarrassing, really. I didn't know how to answer. I said "Ahhhh!" because that's what I thought I was SUPPOSED to do.

I have never done it again, but now and again I wonder about the whole thing.

Do you say "Ahhh!" at your doctor?

8 comments:

StyleyGeek said...

I think it's what doctors tell children to do, because it's the only way to get them to open their mouth wide enough. But once you are grown up I think the noise is optional.

torrygirl said...

I'm sure my doctor always asks me to make the noise...
Maybe she's watched too many doctor shows and thinks it's expected as well.

lina said...

my Doctor did that if he's examining my son. for me, I'll start open my mouth on cue (when he's pointing the stick & torch light thingy in front of me)

OzBurger said...

I've never done it at the dermatologist's.

Does that count?

Anonymous said...

I don't know. I know I did when I was a kid and I know it is the cliche, but I haven't had a doctor look in my throat for so many years I don't know if I would say ahhhh or not. If we turn to the Wiggles for wisdom, we know that "we can open up our mouths and we can say ahhhh at the doctors!"

Wait. You have no children. You don't care about the wisdom of the Wiggles.

lina said...

carrieb,
your wiggles comment really crack me up. Now, my son trusts the wiggles word / song of wisdom.

Badaunt said...

I guess I thought the noise was to get your tongue out of the way, or something like that, so the doctor could see better. But I'm like Carrie - I hadn't had my throat checked since I was a kid, and hadn't actually given it much thought.

(Carrie, I'm willing to follow the Word of Wiggles, kids or no kids, especially if nobody else can give me a clue!)

Melanie Gray Augustin said...

Back in Oz, I've had the same GP since I was 6. He asked me to say ahhh in those days and I still do it now without thinking. He's never told me to stop doing it....