Me And My Pro-Appetite

   It's an obvious fact that we have many doctors in America that are first generationers here. Perhaps you've had the joyful experience of going to your local primary care physician and feeling like you would've preferred to have videotaped the appointment and played it back with sub-titles, because without them, you have no idea what's going on. You could've just been diagnosed with Stiff Person's Syndrome and you'd never know (and yes, that's an actual disease). Or maybe you can understand the accent of your doctor, but the wording of the questions is so peculiar that you're STILL not sure that you get what's being asked! Well I struggle with both of these. I was at a new PCP (Dr. Zhang) this weekend. And I found myself getting thoroughly confused (by his AWFUL bedside manner, for one... but that's a whole other story) when he asked me if I have a "pro-appetite" in an asian accent. A pro-appetite? As in pro or con? Well, I thought about it for a second and answered that yes, I am in favor of eating. He seemed frustrated and said it again... and again and again. The blank stare in my eyes must've been getting on his nerves, but even the words he was using to explain himself were totally foreign to me (yes. pun. I know.). "You know, eat to eat? Fo fun? O not to eat, you starve?" Ok, seriously? What the heck is this man saying to me! It was about 5 minutes after he got fed up and moved on that it dawned on me.... POOR appetite! I basically spewed it out in the form of a question. "YES! Pro-appetite!" he answers. The note I wrote on my comment card at the front desk? Please get written questionairres of symptoms. ASAP.