Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Stopflares 10/28/2011

Every time I read a comment by someone about their "rheumy", it makes me laugh. I called my college roomate "roomie" and my rheumatologist is about as far removed from her as he can be. He's not the funny, warm fuzzy type, although I like him very much. It's a PIA to spell out "rheumatologist" every time, so maybe I'll just call him Dr. S. instead. One thing that always gets to me is how medical doctors always call me by my first name although I am 78 years old and a Ph.D. "doctor". I used to call them by their first names just to shock them, but they didn't catch on. I do think it is condescending to call any patient by his/her first name unless the physician and patient are friends. I wonder if Dr. S. reads this blog, though I doubt it. Just in case, Dr. S, you are not the "rheumy' type and you can call me "doctor" too.

deleted_user 10/28/2011

IMHO it has to do with where u grew up, your age and what your parents instilled in u. My rheumatologist (RD) is in his late 70s and I am in my early 50s. He addresses me as Mrs.____ and I address him as Dr.___. We both are southerners. My parents insisted I address individuals with respect and dignity. A part of the respect is to address individuals as Miss, Mr., Mrs, Dr. or whatever title is appropriate. I too am uncomfortable in a doctor's office when I am addressed by my first name. I usually remedy that by saying, "You can call me Mrs._______. please, thank you."
It's just the way I roll. LOL.

deleted_user 10/28/2011

I was raised on the North East Coast and I too was raised to respect your elders. You never called your friends' parents by their first names, etc.
I moved to the Cincinnati area when I was 13 and was appalled that my friend's parents refused to let me call them Mr. or Mrs. We compromised w/ my closest friends' parents and I called them Mom T and Dad T. Now as an adult, I call them by their first names, but it still feels funny.

Our family doctor calls my husband and I Mr and Mrs ______. He's our age . . .

deleted_user 10/28/2011

Thank you for the smile, Stopflares.

ncgranny62 10/28/2011

My physicians call me Mrs. _____________ and I call them Dr. _________. I'm a southerner and Hollandgirl has it right. We were taught that it is discourteous to call people by their first names unless they have asked us to do so. Even then, if they are older or the relationship is of a professional nature, we were taught to call them Mr. or Mrs. or Dr., etc. Until the day she died, I called my mother-in-law Mrs. __________. She asked me to call her by her first name but I explained that I thought that would be disrespectful and I could not do it.

Stopflares 10/29/2011

I was raised a Southerner too, but Dr. S. apparently was not. I'm glad you don't think I'm being snippy!

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