Here is the complicated silly problem, not so silly though really. I have gone to Dr P(a man) for since maybe 2002. My children started going to him in 2004 when our regular ped had a baby and left. Dr P's partner was Dr B, a female doctor. In 2005, Dr B adopted her first child and I think maybe around 2006 or 7, she quit so she could stay home with the children, with the intention of homeschooling them, which she currently does. Dr B's younger siblings are homeschooled. Last spring, I ran in to Dr B's mom during the day with the kids and her kids, and as you know, in the middle of a public school day, it is obvious when homeschoolers are out and about in the middle of a school day that they are homeschooled. Ok, so we got to visiting and Dr B's mom invited us to her church. I attended once and decided not to go back at that time. I was pregnant and NOT in the mood to sit through church at all. By this past November though, I tried the church again and loved it. I have described the church before. It is very small church, very nice, everyone is very sweet and personable. There is only 1 service and when that service ends, no one leaves. They all just stand up and start visiting, literally. I am not kidding. It is that friendly and that small. Now it is getting a little weird going to Dr P. Dr P's family and Dr B's family are good friends and still do things together. We actually live in a major metropolitan area where people really don't interract much. Business relations and personal relations really tend to be kept separate. Dr B is still doing fill in work at the office of Dr P when someone is out of town or out sick. Dr P has a new partner. Now I feel awkward. First, I learned where a prostate was from Dr B. My dh needed a prostate exam and I did not know where it was so I had not left..and then..well..opps..turns out, prostate is in a place I had no clue where it was. That was so embarrassing! I feel so, I don't know...like I have invaded their personal space? I feel so awkward when I speak to either of them. Maybe it is all just in my mind. We are thinking maybe we should just switch the children to a ped so the ones who go most often will not be going in and we won't be spending so much time there? I hope I have explained it well. I had to stop posting mid post because the baby threw up again and I don't really want to call Dr P again.
I didn't follow that completely. Dr. P doesn't go to your church does he? If he is only a colleague/friend of Dr. B who I take it does go to your church, then I wouldn't switch. It is hard to find a good Dr. I wouldn't switch my pre-teenage children either way; though if I saw my Dr. in a social setting, I would switch myself and my husband to another office. That would be weird. I'd just make sure that I made an appointment before I asked any medical questions, and I would stay away from talking about my children's ailments in their presence outside of the office so that they would not feel pressured to offer medical advice.
Dr B still fills in for Dr P when Dr P is out. She also fills in when the PA is out. Dr B has given my dh a prostate exam. I know..she is at our church and not our regular doctor anymore, but, when I have been seeing Dr P lately, it is just awkward. His family and Dr B's family are good friends. So, I have been to Dr B's house sometimes. Ok..this sounds silly, but when I was there for dinner, I found myself thinking something like...if I eat this dessert, then will anything be said about it the next week when I see Dr P? This might just be all in my head.
During my last preganancy, I went to church with my OB's nurse. My dh sang in the choir with her. She was SO respectful of me. When it was a visit that required an *exam* rather than just the basics, she asked another doctor's nurse to fill in. I think your doc will likely be the same way. I've also attended church with 2 OB's in the group I first used. After the initial "GASP... Dr. W/Dr. R goes here!!", it was OK. They are people too!
Our family ob/gyn gave my sister a job - he's on the school board and she graduated last May as a math teacher. But then, that's in hick-town Texas. Out here, it's a regular thing. His kids and my oldest and my brother all played baseball together before we moved. Along with my husband's boss's kids, from the bakery. LOL But if it makes you feel odd, bring it up! That's what doctors are for, right? They're likely much more professional about it than you realize. My hubby has that ability, to totally remove himself and separate work and life. I guess some people are just good with that, and some of them are doctors. LOL Anyway. Not odd for me, but we're from places where everyone knows everyone and you can't turn a fart without the whole town knowing. ;-)
That would be weird for me too. This discussion reminds me of the time my mother saw her Dr. in the grocery store. She said, "Oh hi Dr. G. You probably don't recognize me with my clothes on; I'm B." After she blurted that out, she turned beat red as the words she'd just spoken reached her own ears!
