The Good Neurologist: A Story of Gratitude

Sophie understands it and thinks it sucks.

The Good Neurologist is happy to see Sophie bright and attentive and walking on her own into her office instead of slumped in her wheelchair. The Good Neurologist acknowledges how wonderful her patient looks.

The Good Neurologist apologizes for Sophie's traumatic EEG from a couple of months ago and realizes that it wasn't a great example of Sophie's improved clinical presentation. She is happy to report, though, that there is no ESES on the EEG. ESES is short for electrical status epilepticus in slow-wave sleep, and Sophie has had two bouts of it in her life, both devastating and too traumatic to recount here. The Good Neurologist is also understanding of the mother's aversion to learning what was on that EEG and decides that we don't need to do any more for a really long time.

The Good Neurologist takes notes while the mother talks, and she asks questions about how Sophie's CBD is dosed. She is appropriately excited by the mother's report of relative seizure freedom since going back on the original California Charlotte's Web.

The Good Neurologist is genuinely interested in hearing the mother discuss what types of cannabis Sophie has tried, how well they've worked or not. She takes notes.

The Good Neurologist listens avidly and carefully as the mother tells her about the disastrous epilepsy conference where the mother was insulted by The Good Neurologist's colleagues. She doesn't flinch when the mother names the offending parties and says, I was enraged by it for a while, but my overall feeling now is that I don't give a damn what the neurology world thinks.

The Good Neurologist is able to do a sort of mind meld with the mother so that the mother understands that The Good Neurologist is very excited about this new treatment for Sophie, even though The Good Neurologist is unable to jump up and down and scream into the hallways because some of her colleagues are assholes and might not approve.

The Good Neurologist has big brown eyes that widen when the mother reports how much of the hated benzodiazepine has been weaned from Sophie. She is very, very impressed. She acknowledges this achievement. She provides encouragement to keep going.

The Good Neurologist speaks to Sophie and is warm and engaging. The mother and Sophie leave the office of the Good Neurologist and drive through afternoon traffic without crying or seizing, respectively.

The End.