My interaction with a stuttering doctor

My interaction with a stuttering doctor Many of you may know me as the guy who recovered from stuttering by an unusual path. This morning, I took my infant son to the pediatrician. His regular doctor wasn't available, so we had to see one we had never interacted with. Within a few seconds, I detected what I thought was a mild stutter. No more than 30 seconds later, it became apparent she's a severe stutterer. She couldn't complete one sentence without stuttering. Her blocks were very severe, sometimes blocking for what seemed like 5 seconds. Her stutter was definitely more severe than mine had been. Part of me was engaged in the conversation, while another part of me was studying her stuttering. I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, but there were times I was impatient and wanted to interrupt her to speed up the conversation. It was ironic, I had been the victim of that and hated it, and I was thinking of treating her in a way I hated being treated. But, I held back. I was able to empathize. If I hadn't lived almost all my life stuttering, I just might've been the type of asshole that doesn't or can't empathize. I'm actually grateful that I stuttered, but also extremely grateful that I don't anymore. As I left the office, I thought about what it takes for someone with a severe stutter to become a practicing doctor. By most measurements, I'm considered successful, but I am not a doctor. This young woman did not let a severe stutter hold her back and chose a career that demands commitment and significant interaction with the public. She showed me how successful a severe stutterer can be. Stuttering sucks. It's not going to make anything easier. It will likely make accomplishing your goals harder, but unless you're mute, you can still accomplish great things. Just be stronger than life's headwinds.