Is there a doctor in the house?

It just might be the most expensive and painful thing that’s led to my meeting of an eligible bachelor… It had all started on a business trip in Atlanta. I developed a seemingly mild skin infection on my leg, consulted my doctor when I arrived home, began taking antibiotics and headed out on another business trip. After four days of medicine and no improvement, my close friend, a nurse, advised me via phone that yes, I did indeed need to consult another doctor. I was working long days on my feet - this time in Boston - and it was painful to stand, let alone walk.

My hotel furnished me with a business card for a group of emergency room physicians that provided on-call services. When there was a knock on my door a few hours later, a young, attractive doctor introduced himself as “Dr. Simpson”. One quick check of his ring finger confirmed that he appeared to be - at least legally - single. I would be lying if I said I didn’t notice his Diesel brand jeans (I’m a sucker for a hot pair of jeans!) or his trendy shoes. In fact, I think my initial attraction to him led to my blood pressure being significantly higher than its usual low numbers.

He was polished, professional and business-like at all times. He offered his personal cell number and promised to check on me the following day. In fact, he even gave me a ride to the local pharmacy that evening. What ensued were several days of a very painful leg infection that was well-monitored with daily calls and follow up from Dr. Simpson who at one point, asked that I just call him “Kris.” While there were a few comments and text messages that could have been loosely construed as flirting, I was unsure as to whether Kris was actually intending to flirt but nonetheless, I was very grateful for his attentiveness.

The medical highlight (or rather, lowlight) of the week was an obligatory visit to the emergency room to rule out a blood clot and to receive intravenous antibiotics. Upon arrival, I met Kris’ colleague who advised me that not only was Dr. Simpson “very concerned” about me but also that he was “a really good guy”… Could it be? I thought. Could this colleague be promoting his friend to me??? While sitting in the noisy ER with an IV needle in my arm, I did what any wise single woman would have done and texted the good looking doctor to inquire if he would like to have a drink, pending my release from the hospital. I felt like his affirmative response was the confirmation that our attraction was mutual (he later told me that my text was the ‘green light’ for him as well). Little did the attending physician know that I was resisting being admitted to the hospital not only because of my work meeting the following day, but even more importantly, due to my pending date with Kris, her colleague!

It was that evening, after a quick shower to refresh (had to scrub that dried blood off of my hand from the IV after all!), that we had our first official “date”. I extended my stay through the weekend to recuperate at a friend’s home and while Kris was going to be out of town for much of the weekend, we remained in touch via phone and made plans to see each other my final night in the area. Our date that final evening was all-too-short although I suspect that a week would not have felt like enough time. My attraction to him was not only physical but also emotional and intellectual.

While we kept in contact for a while, proximity and convenience won out and we eventually agreed that a long-distance relationship was not feasible for either of our current lifestyles. Albeit brief, the experience not only made an unpleasant medical problem more tolerable but more importantly, it also reminded me of what it feels like to be attracted to someone on so many levels…and you know what? It feels really good.

Honey: A man who is well-educated, knowledgeable and passionate about his work is a must-have for me.