One Moment in Time

This is a great story and a true story.  I know this because I was there.
A little bit of background to better appreciate how that 'one moment in time' came about.

 Arthritis has sculpted my hands and feet into some unusual patterns.   Nodules [roundish bumps ] appear and sometimes they need to be dealt with for a variety of reasons.  Since I believe in accepting the things I cannot change, I do try to change the things that I can.

             Twenty years ago, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand[iwork!] haha...began to help keep my hands functioning as well as possible.  I was impressed from the first office visit when I noticed a kid's artwork on the examining room wall, and the doc said his seven year old daughter had painted it.  It was certainly more attractive to me [elementary school teacher]  than the sterile walls that usually had graphic posters of anatomy [ for educational purposes].  It was my good fortune to find a fantastic surgeon with amazing  'people skills and empathy' and who practiced medicine in a consistently encouraging way. 

It was at my rheumatologist's office that this perfect storm began to gel.  He recommended that it would be wise to shuffle my feet in the direction of someone specializing in feet!  I asked if he had any recommendations and  he gave me a note with two names on it.  I immediately recognized one of the names.
"Any relation to my orthopedic surgeon?"
"Yes, his son.  He graduated from "XXX" [ highly regarded institution of learning] with a specialty in feet!"
I made an initial foot appointment, and coincidentally  my yearly check-up appointment for my hands had already been scheduled just prior to that one.  This conversation [with the father] began with my explanation:
"It is clear that there is foot surgery in my immediate future.  I have made an appointment with Dr. Foot [his son]."
He smiled and voiced his confidence in 'the good doctor'.
I asked, "Any chance that while I am in altered states getting my left foot operated on that you might remove a few nodules from my right hand?"
He answered, "Well, that would depend on what the foot doctor says relative[haha] to whether I would need both hands while recovering one- footed.  It would be his call."
Very pleased to meet the younger version of my favorite doctor, the son was a clone in appearance and personality which was a very good endorsement.  After the foot exam was done, I shared:
"In my yearly check-up with my hand surgeon...
He smiled and voiced his confidence in 'the good doctor!'
"I asked if I could get some nodules from my right hand removed 'at the same time' as I was having the necessary foot surgery.  He told me that  decision would be the foot doc's call due to the recovery involved.  And that would be you."
"Sure thing...I think that would be possible.  It's a matter of scheduling both doctors in the same place and time.  Since my father has the busier schedule, I would start with his availability and then I would join his allotted surgery day.  The two surgery-scheduling secretaries can set the whole thing up and contact you as to date and time.  "

And so it came to pass...
One patient...one operating room complete with appropriate staff...one anesthesiologist...
And history was made for them...the hand surgeon and the foot surgeon...the father and the son...simultaneously operating together for the first and only time.  My right hand and my left foot made a special appearance in that unique chapter in their respective lives...and it helped me, too. 
I was happy to be the connection for their historic 'one moment in time' together while in my favorite place to be...altered states and dreaming!
When you reflect back to the birth of a baby, I wonder if 'said father' as he held his newborn son... could have possibly imagined that one day in the future they would be two surgeons operating together simultaneously. Whew! 

Priceless