Ever run into your doctor or therapist out in the world?

I'm a doctor - I'll always acknowledge and say hi when I run into my patients or their families but I sometimes have trouble remembering names and who is who out of context.

I slap their faces

I was waiting with a couple of friends to get into a movie and saw my dentist, a guy who has a great outgoing personality. He had recently done some nice cosmetic work on a one of my teeth and he came right over and said, "Let me see it. I want to see how it looks."

He and I both thought the conversation was natural and normal, but one of my friends was put out. "Your dentist talks to you in public?"

I decided my friend is weird, not my dentist.

I once met a guy who is a doctor. He wanted to have sex. I couldn't do it. I just looked at him as a doctor, not a sex partner. He was good-looking enough, but the notion of sex with a doctor turned me off.

Yes. Practically fell over my therapist in a luxury food section of a department store in the Christmas rush. He was very professional. He acknowledged me with the briefest of glances then smiled and averted his gaze, allowing me to flee. He was my grief counselor and I basically cried all the time in sessions so was mortified to bump into him in public.

Three mornings a week, I would see this cute guy run past my house, go to the beach and run another mile on the sand, and then back. I figured he was on the track team at the college. When I needed to go to the HMO to see a doctor, I was signing in and saw him at a file cabinet. I figured the kid was working his way through college. Sitting in the exam room, the kid comes in --- and he's the doctor! I nearly forgot what I was there for.

The doctors and therapists tend to acknowledge patients of their own (or higher) socioeconomic class.

For poorer people, this can hurt so we are glad not to have our MDs around after 5PM

One of my friends got married and invited her psychiatrist .

He came with his wife. They had it at a swanky country club...my friend even danced with him.

Oh...and she was seeing him because she was frigid...

Too weird for words!!!!!!!!

I saw my cardiologist once, and we gave each other a biog hello. But then I addressed her by her first name (I call her "Dr. Williams" in the office), and she froze up. She was not happy.

I ran into my FNP, who is great, at Kroger.

But, she checked out my cart and busted me for buying a bunch of things that'll kill me.

I was seated next to my Dermatologist one night at a gay-ish restaurant. He was clearly on a date with another guy. It hadn't crossed my mind that he was gay. We acknowledged each other and then didn't speak the rest of the time.

I have run into my therapist in public. We said hello and introduced the people we were with. I also bumped into my dentist after a play and we went out for coffee. My dentist was a very friendly woman.

On a dance floor, on E, so was he. Obviously I had to find a new doctor.

I ran into my then-therapist in a bookstore one day. I was sitting and reading as he walked past. I smiled and gave a nod. He stopped, gave me the weirdest look, then glid swiftly along, as if he were a human Segway. I didn't hold on to him as a shrink much longer. It wasn't that little episode exclusively, though that was a part of it.

I bumped a surgeon, who had removed a tumor in my chest, while at grocery store. He made me pull up my shirt to inspect the incisions. Oddly enough, it didn't bother me at all. He is a quirky guy, but a brilliant surgeon.

Some funny visuals in R14's post. I like the "human Segway" bit.

I wish you were here, R16, and I could tell you all about it. I hope the man found a new profession. He wasn't very good with people.

I'm good friends with my dentist, so I see him all the time. My therapist and I have many mutual friends, so we have run into each other at social events; we do a polite acknowledgement but don't directly socialize. I saw him out at a gay bar once obviously cruising (he has a partner) and found that awkward. My primary care doc hit me up on Manhunt once (I don't have a public face pic there). We both happened to be out of town in the same city -- he probably figured he wouldn't run into any patients. I just didn't reply to him.

[all posts by racist flame-bait shit-stain removed.]

R5, Points for " then smiled and averted his gaze, allowing me to flee". Such a lovely post, hope you were wearing a scarf which would comlete the picture. Your English teachers would be so proud.

Remember that Jerry was Rob's best friend, neighbor and his dentist on the old Dick Van Dyke Show. I wonder if it would have worked out if Laura's gyno moved next door too.

Ran into my therapist last week at the lake. We were both in swimsuits. Embarrrassing at first bit later I thought that if anyone knows about my body issues it is my therapist.

How can I find a good LGBT therapist in NYC?

Back in the 80's I worked on Sundays in a video store to cover for my friend, the owner's day off. One day in walks my childhood doctor. He doesn't recognize me, he was a very popular doctor and he ended up renting two porn tapes.

Physicians, yes. Nothing very odd about it. I say hello, have introduced friends on occasion, and vice versa. Out of respect for privacy, the doctors I've run into wait to take some cue before saying anything beyond hello.

In a professional context, a lot of people are oddly intimidated by doctors and hold back information as though applying for a job for which they were trying to conceal their ill-qualification. I figure doctors are -or should be- professional enough to act as though they've heard it all before and not to betray any judgment and certainly not betray any confidence. With so many patients cagey in their doctor's office, I suppose it's not odd that the ex-office run-ins are awkward.

One day I was in a supermarket with my partner who is a therapist. He said hello to the girl at the checkout. He used to go to that supermarket all the time because it was near his office, so it wouldn't be unusual for him to know the checkout girl. I'd never been there before. The checkout girl starts an animated conversation with him and I simply thought she knew him from her job. (My partner is extremely outgoing while I am the opposite).

The girl knew I was with my partner and she turns to me and says, "Hi. I'm a patient of his."

I was a little flabbergasted. I said, "Oh. Hello." So my partner introduced us. They talked about college (she'd won a scholarship to a prestigious private school). She had the nose ring and the lip stud, a typical teen. My partner told me later that she was extremely right wing, which surprised me.

Can't judge a book, etc....

I did at a bear pool party once

[quote] I wonder if it would have worked out if Laura's gyno moved next door too.

My parents passed on a house my mother fell in love with when hey found out hers was in the house next door.

I saw my doctor with his wife having dinner while my bf and I were waiting for a table. He saw me and gave a little wave. We were still at the bar waiting as they were finishing up, he came over to say hello. Introductions were made. As my doctor walked away, I said to my bf, yeah, he had his hand up my ass last week.

Yes. I ran into my rather locally well-known Primary Care doctor at a party in the early 90s. He was doing coke and smoking cigarettes. He later died of AIDS.

Of course non-shrinks can socialize with their patients. What nonsense!

As for one's actual shrink. I can't imagine a simple "Hello" in public as a professional no-no. Beyond that, I suppose if circumstances forced the two to be together at an event, there'd be some way of neutral conversation possible.

Tough to explain, but my ex was both paying a psychologist under the table (the "shrink" didn't want to pay tax) for weekly phone consultations (NO it was NOT sexual!), as well as having a friendship with the guy at the same time. I only met the "shrink" once, when we dropped off some used computer equipment at the guy's place as he had told the ex not to throw it out, he'd take it (as it's free). I understand he later complained that the stuff wasn't the greatest technology. Didn't surprise me at all, though my ex was a bit miffed.

Lovely, R29.

Yes, I was with my ministers and my church LGBT committee at the New York Historical Society checking out an exhibit on Billie Jean King. Walked around a corner and bumped into my ophthalmologist.

It caught me off guard. All I could think of to say was, "Aren't you my doctor?"

She responded, "Yes". I said, "Cool, have a good evening".

My husband is a shrink. Once we were in the checkout line & the girl at the register says “hi” to him and then says “I need your opinion...”

And I thought....this is a friendly girl...

Then she says something about college and which one to decide to go to ...the one where she got the full scholarship but would have to travel and pay for food & stuff and it would be expensive, or the local college where she could live at home her parents & save money.

I was about to give my opinion when she cuts me off & says “I’m his patient.”

It was pretty funny,

At a sex club in silver lake

Two therapists. One, I saw one night in a restaurant. We said "Hi, hello, how are you? See you Wednesday." And I continued to see him until I moved out of that city years later. It turned out the guy with him was his husband, and he had AIDS. He died less than a year later, and when my therapist told me, it felt somehow more intimate, as I was able to visualize him.

This therapist and I had two mutual friends. Also, some of my friends, and a frenemy, were his patients. When the frenemy killed himself, my therapist talked to me about his feelings about this person, and the fact that he'd killed himself. I was apparently the only person he felt he could talk to. I didn't mind.

The other, in a different city, was a complete priss. He pretended not to know me when we ran into each other at Barnes & Noble one night. He seemed so stuck up. When a second incident happened that made me question his value as a shrink, I quit going to him. Had the B&N incident not happened, I might've continued with him.

I see my doctor out at the clubs from time to time. He always says hi. I saw my therapist running on a hiking trail once. We made eye contact, but that was it.

I waited tables for a while, and my newish therapist ended up in my section. She was clearly extremely flustered and uncomfortable. It didn't bother me at all. At the next session, she made a comment about how awkward that was, and I thought, Why? I just did my job and didn't treat her any differently. I stopped going to therapy shortly thereafter and have not seen her since.

My goodness, do you all have gay doctors? I find that hard to believe.

Damn, so many of you have therapists, maybe this is why you are all on DL all the time!

No shame in having a therapist.

My husband cut off a friendship because the friend started dating a guy who was the father of a former patient. The former patient was a child and the parents were divorced. The father was a foreigner from a country where the prevailing cultural feeling is that seeing a therapist means “you’re crazy.” So the guy wasn’t happy about his kid being in therapy. My husband said, “This could be legally bad. I’m keeping away from this guy entirely.”

The woman married the guy....they’re now divorced. She got very angry that my husband said we couldn’t socialize with her anymore and I thought my husband might be going overboard, but the guy was a dick. Therapists should not socialize with anti-therapy dicks who don’t want to help their kids via therapy if the kid needs therapy.

The divorce was bitter, btw, and both spouses had been married twice before and both had kids. People who marry 3x and subject their kids to two step parents usually have problems. Sure enough, both of these people are out looking for step parent #3.

R34: are you aware that you posted the same story @ R26 in July 2014? Funny!

R44 = Hall Monitoresse Extraordinaire.

R45: no monitoring intended; I just think it's charming that people post on DL for so many years--there are few boards that attract such loyal posters.

r46 Oh. I mistook you for the "R__, see R__" queen. She tries to control threads that way. Sorry.

My cardiologist used to live near me, or rather, I lived near him. We’d never speak.

My former doctor, now deceased, was a family friend, who often dropped by the house to talk mutual interests with my father. He was almost one of the family. I once had a crush on him.

I've seen my current doctor, a charming Irishman, quite a lot out in the wild, but he lives close to me, so that's no surprise. He is also crush-worthy.

[quote] "Let me see it. I want to see how it looks."

Oh your tooth, if he had said that to me, he might have been very surprised what he got to see.

I don’t engage in any type of personal conversation with anyone who I am in a professional relationship with. It’s like talking to your cleaning lady at a social event. I don’t care that we’re both there or even what you’re doing but a simple acknowledgement is all that is needed. Doctors are the same as any other service person. If they don’t provide the service I’m looking for I pass on them the same way I would a hairdresser or plumber.

r51 = Wutta Kunt

How is that Kunty R52?

If you have to ask, r53...

Must’ve been a good story to remember it 6 years later.

I went to see a therapist who is gay and was in a long-term relationship. I had just broken up and was in bad shape. My appointments lasted for six months before I came to terms and accepted my situation. A couple months later I saw him at the baths, chowing down on cock. Found out that his relationship had broken up and he was having sex with anyone who wanted it.

I ran into my cardiologist at costco twice both times she looked in my cart and gave me the thumbs up lol. I am uber compliant to my dietary restrictions since my angioplasty!

Did you want it, r56?

Yes. At our swim club. She asked me how my baby was and I don't have a baby.

I'm an MD. I don't mind greeting patients I recognize outside of the office. But don't expect me to remember your medical issues. I see dozens of you each day.

I laughed at that too R44. I've almost done it a couple of times too (or done it, who knows?) not realizing a thread has been bumped. Cute story both times R26/R34.

I was seeing a psychologist to help me come out - imagine my surprise to run into him at a notorious bath house.

My Sister-in law is the practice manager at my GP (primary care doc) here in the UK.

My Doctor (Joann) is from Baghdad (Iraq) but has been in the UK for 25+ years, attends all of our family events (with her husband and kids) and comes out to dinner with us pretty regularly.

I have multiple times - I acknowledge, wave or say hi. Probably differs based on how outgoing you are.

Years ago I was at the Black party in NYC at Roseland and it was my first time and last time. It was way over the top for me. I ran into my dentist there; he was so high on crystal and god knows what else he shocked me. He was thisclose to being fully naked (he had a really nice muscular body) and was allowing all sorts of people to touch him and play with his cock. It was bizarre indeed. I never went back to him again