======== A Visit From An Old Doctor ======

1971 was a pretty good year for 18 year old Jenny Finch. Her senior year at Valley High was off to a great start. She had the classes that she wanted and would be in the top of her graduating class. Not at the very top, but high enough.

Jenny's family had moved to Green Valley three years ago along with the family of her best friend Sally. Their fathers had moved to head up the input and output testing departments of a new factory. The adjustment to her new life had been a little rough, but with the help of her (don't tell him) level headed brother she had adjusted.

This morning she is not feeling so well though. She did not not sleep well the night before and is dragging, barely able to get dressed and down to breakfast. She sits picking at her food, not really interested in it.

"Are you feeling OK Jenny?" Mary asks as she puts a hand on her daughters forehead.

"Just tired. I didn't sleep well last night." She says.

"Well you feel warm and you look haggard. I think that I might want you to stay home today. Go upstairs and back to bed and I will check your temperature after I write a note for your brother to bring to your teachers."

Jenny wants to object, but she is just too tired. She changes back into a nightgown and craws into bed. She is half dosing when her mother comes back in with her medical tray. Jenny is happy for what she doesn't see, a tub of Vaseline. When they had moved to Green Valley she had switched to the doctors at Valley Care, the only doctors in town that would take you until you turned 21. Valley Care had a strict policy of only taking rectal temperatures, unlike her old doctors. She had been dismayed to have to switch back to rectal temperatures at 15 after having been mostly switched to mouth temperatures at 12. Even worse, her mother had bought her and Sam brand new rectal thermometers for use at home and she had went from oral temperatures 3 out of 4 times at home to rectal temps most of the time.

She had thrown a bit of a hissy fit (well more than a bit) at the time, but had come to accept it, mostly due to her level headed brother (darn you Sam) and because of the other ways that Valley Care was. They were much more protective of her privacy (no more getting weighed in the hall in your panties) and more likely to treat you based on how you acted.

Still she was glad when her mother said, "Open wide." As she slipped the thermometer under Jenny's tounge and checked her watch. Five minutes later she pulled it out and read. "101.2. Yep you are definitely staying home from school." After giving Jenny some Tylenol and leaving a picture of water "that you better drink so you don't become dehydrated" she left Jenny to dose on and off through the day. Coming in to check her temperature and give her more Tylenol as the day went along.

After school, her brother popped in. "How's it going Jen, you look terrible."

"Gee thanks you big lug. I feel terrible, I didn't need to hear that from you."

"Hey what's a big brother to do but tell you the truth?"

"Big brother? By five minutes." she said as she threw a pillow at Sam, who caught it and handed it back to her with a big smile on his face.

"Well you can't be too bad. Mom hasn't broken out the butt thermometer yet."

"Don't you dare give her - cough cough - any -cough cough - ideas Samuel Jeremy Jones or I'll do something." Jenny warned, but she knew her fate was sealed. After moving to Green Valley and Valley Care, both her mom and Sally's mom had become much quicker to turn to rectal temps. Not even her father had been immune.

"With that cough, I don't think that I will have to." Sam said with a grin teasing his sister. "Besides, I come baring gifts: make up work from all your classes so you don't fall behind."

"Gee thanks. I'm going to have to get Sally to dump you the day - cough cough - before prom for this." She said with all the mock anger she could manage in her current state.

"Who do you think reminded me sis? Something about revenge from when she had strep and you brough her homework. I'll leave you to your rest sister mine."

Later that evening Jenny is coughing as her mom is taking her temperature. Mary plucks the thermometer from Jenny's mouth and says, "I think it's time to get the other thermometer" and she takes the thermometer case marked "JENNY -- ORAL" and returns with the Vaseline and the thermometer in the case marked "JENNY -- RECTAL".

Jenny sighs and turns over on her side, baring her bottom. She soon feel a familiar sensation as her mom slides the greasy thermometer up into her rectum and settles a hand against her bottom. She is not exactly happy with this, but grudgingly agrees with her mother's choice today. Five minutes later she feels her mother lift her buttock and slide the thermometer out.

"102.8. Well I think that you are going to the doctor tomorrow."

In the morning Jenny hears her mother on the phone with bits of the conversation drifting up. "Yes, coughing and wheezing and fever." "It was up to 102.8 last night and was 101.4 in the morning." "I understand." "Yes, I had heard that." "That would be wonderful. We will expect him."

Mary comes into Jenny's room and announces, "I spoke with the doctors office it's a Saturday so they are sending out their extra doctor. Do you remember Dr. Burnes? He is the doctor that helps them by making some house calls on the weekends and when they are overbooked. He is going to be coming over this afternoon to check you out."

Jenny is a little nervous. She has gotten used to Dr. Sarah and it has been years since a male doctor examined her. "Was that the doctor who came for Sam last summer? Is he nice?"

"Yes dear, that was Dr. Burnes and he is very nice. He was my doctor when I went to Valley Care growing up. Don't worry, I'll be here with you."

A little while later the door bell rings and Mary greets Dr. Burnes. "Mary Benson Finch. It is good to see you. I hear that Jenny is not feeling so well."

"Yes Dr. Burnes, she seems to have been dragging for the last few days and I kept her home from school yesterday due to fatige and a fever, 101 orally. She developed a cough and her fever went up to 102.8 by rectum last night. It was already up over 101 this morning."

"Mmmm. Well let's see how she is doing. Lead the way."

Mary and Dr. Burnes entered Jenny's bed room and Dr. Burnes introduced himself, "Hello Jenny. I'm Dr. Burnes and I help the other doctors at Valley Care on the weekends. I think we may have met when I took care of Sam a few months back."

"And you were - cough cough - Mom's doctor growing up?"

"Yes, I was. That's where I got most of this gray hair. Your mom says that you haven't been well the last few days, can you tell me what's been going on?" And he listened to what she had to say, picking up on the fact that her face had been tender for the last few days.

"Well let's check you out. Can you hand mom your bottoms and roll over for me?" He said pulling out a black thermometer case and small jar of Vaseline. As she watched he pulled out the thermometer and coated the bottom two inches with the gooey lubricant.

At seeing a nod from mom, Jenny reached under the covers and pull off her panties from under her night shirt. She handed them to mom and rolled over settling her head on her arms. She felt the cool air on her bottom as Dr. Burns pulled down the covers and pulled up her night shirt. Then she feels him separate her legs, “just a little”. She turned a bit red knowing that a MALE doctor was seeing one of her most private areas.

After uncovering the girl and spreading her legs a bit, Dr. Burnes parted her pale buttocks and placed the bulb of the thermometer on her anus. He waited a couple of seconds for her anus to relax and then slowly inserted the first couple of inches of the thermometer and released her buttocks. Holding the thermometer with two fingers where her buttocks closed over it, he glances at his watch and asks Jenny and her mom a few more questions.

After five minutes, he declares time and Jenny feels him part her cheeks again and withdraw the thermometer. She then feels him give her anus a swipe with a tissue and feels him pull down her nightshirt. "You can turn over and sit up Jenny" he says as he cleans and reads the thermometer. "102.7. It is creeping back up. Let's get a look at the rest of you."

Pulling an otoscope from his bag, he checks her ears, and spends some time looking at her nose and throat making "mmm" sounds. Jenny gags a bit as he takes a swab of her throat and nose. Then he gets out his stethoscope.

"I need to you give your night shirt to Mom Jenny so that I listen to your heart and lungs and check your tummy." Jenny was hoping to avoid this, but at a firm nod from mom, she pulls her gown over the top of her head exposing her breasts. Handing her top to Mom, she sits naked in front of mom and a male doctor. She wants to cover her breasts but reminds herself that Sam has to get examined by Dr. Sarah and what he said about embarrassment being at least partially a choice.

Dr. Burnes puts the bell of his stethoscope just at the base of her left breast and listens carefully to her heart. He moves the stethoscope carefully around her chest, sometimes asking her to breath deeply. Then he repeats this pattern on her back sometimes asking her to "Breath in deep, hold it, let it out" and sometime just concentrating on the normal sounds. Mary is a little concerned as this part of the exam, especially on the left side, seems to be going on longer than normal.

But he finally puts his stethoscope away and thumps Jenny's back above her kidneys asking "does this hurt?"

After this, he asks Jenny to lay back. To Jenny's chagrin but not surprise he pulls the blankets all the way down to her knees, leaving her completely naked as feels her abdomen. He completes her embarrassment by feeling the lymph nodes. He starts with her throat and armpits, which isn't too bad, but then he feels the sides of her breasts and spreads her legs to check the ones in her groin.

"All done. You can put your top back on." he says as he covers her with the blanket and starts making notes. Jenny gratefully takes her gown from Mom and slips back into it, glad to not be naked anymore. She does note, worryingly, that he didn't tell her to put her bottoms on.

While Jenny is pulling on her gown, Dr. Burns is thinking debating a couple of options for Jenny's treatment. Spinning his pen in his hand, he comes to a decision.

"Mrs. Finch, Jenny's condition is a little complicated. It started with a sinus infection that is beinging to resolve itself, but I am afraid that it is spreading to her lungs. Her left lung is starting to sound inflamed. It's not quite there yet, but there's enough wheezing to concern me."

"Jenny, can you swallow big pills?"

Jenny is quick to shake her head and say "Yes, I have no problem taking pills." hoping to escape a sore bottom. Mary also gives the doctor a nod of the head.

"OK. Here is the plan" he says, digging a couple of large pills in blister packs out of his bag. "I have some Azithromycin here for Jenny to take. One pill now; one Timorrow at the same time. Here Jenny, take this with a full glass of water." He hands one pill to Jenny and the other, still in the blister packet to Mary. Jenny takes the pill with water from her nightstand.

"I want you to give Jenny Tylenol and sudafed on a schedule that I will give you. Make sure that she drinks plenty of water. Then Monday I am going to want her to come in to the office for a chest x-ray and a follow up with Dr. Green or one of the others there. I'll call scheduling to arrange it."

"Jenny may be feeling better or worse by then, but it is very important to go to that follow up, even if she is doing better. OK? If this is turning into pneumonia, her treatment may need to be adjusted."

"I understand", said Mary.

"Good. Jenny, do what your mother says and try to get some rest. " "Mrs. Finch, if you show me to your phone, I will arrange the appointment."

Dr. Burns calls the the office. "This is Dr. Burnes. I am over at the Finch place and I need to schedule a chest x-ray and a follow up exam for Jenifer Finch on Monday to rule out pneumonia. She sees Dr. Green. I'll wait." "No, Wednesday is too late, what is the earliest spot open?" "Dr. Jan at 10:15? OK that is fine. 9 for the x-ray. Thanks, I'll let them know and I will drop off notes for Dr. Jan. I've got the Jones kid next, anything else come in or is that the last?" "OK thanks."

"OK, Mrs. Finch. I have an appointment for 10:15 Monday with Dr. Jan, but you will need to be there at 9AM for the chest x-ray. Sorry, but Dr. Sarah is booked solid. Flu season is hitting early this year."

"I didn't want to ask in front of Jenny, but how serious is this? I noticed that you spent a lot of time listening to her lungs. Should I be worried?"

"It's hard to say. She is on the border line and it depends on how things go the next couple of days. Best case, the Azithromycin heads off the infection and her lungs are mostly clear on Monday. I'm pretty sure there will be some inflammation. If the inflammation is worse or the infection is starting to spread, Jenny will need some more antibiotics and some steroids. She might need to spend a week or so in the hospital for supplemental oxygen while she heals."

"Don't be too worried. Even if she needs the hospital, she should be better in a couple of weeks."

After Dr. Burnes leaves Mary goes up to Jenny's room with the sudafed and Tylenol. Trying not to worry Jenny she asks, "So what did you think of doctor bend over? You seemed to handle your first male doctor in a while OK."

"Oh he was OK. It was embarrassing, but I guess it isn't any worse than what Sam goes through with Dr. Sarah and he paid attention to .... wait a minute! What did you call him? Dr. Bend Over?"

"Opps. That wasn't supposed to slip out.", Mary says smiling, "That was kind of a nick names the kids had for him. He was a nice doctor who treated us kindly. I also think that he was first adult to take me seriously. He always listened when I told him how I was feeling, health wise. We all liked him for that, but he was also pretty free with the penicillin shots. And they were even more painful in my day. So, consider your self lucky to not have a sore butt."

"Now if you feel up to it, I'll set you up in the living room to watch a little TV. OK?"