I returned to see Dr. Newman on Monday afternoon. My lip had done well over the weekend. I'd taken the anti-biotic, and tried to remember to smear anti-biotic gel on the lip from time to time. I had assumed that the fact that it had done well was just a normal part of the healing process.

When he entered the room, he seemed delighted to see me, and took a look at the lip. He told me that he had worried about me all weekend. I chided him that he shouldn't have, and he said "Well, between parties, of course!" We both laughed.

He was ecstatic that the lip had done so well. He honestly hadn't expected it to do so well. He was sure I'd have problems with it. But now that things were OK, he said he'd take the stitches out on Friday and then it'd be awhile before he could do anything else.

As I was leaving, he said "I think we got lucky" and I thought to myself, "No, you just did a really good job". I knew there was a reason I'd been happy when an "old geezer" had walked into the room on my first visit - this guy really knew what he was doing! I was lucky to have him.

Back: First Round of Appointments