Ask Lemmy

So years ago, I was going through chemotherapy, and was seeing an oncologist regularly. She was my age more or less and very attractive and single, but also an oncologist treating me professionally.

We got along very well and generally ended up talking about things other than my treatment (which is how I learned she was single - she shared that fact unprompted), but even with that, I never pushed it - it just seemed too weird to actually pursue a relationship with my oncologist. I couldn't be sure how much of it was just in my head - some weird doctor/patient dependency thing - and besides, she was a responsible professional and I was a house painter living in a duplex and spending my spare time smoking pot and playing disc golf, so it wasn't like I had anything of actual value to offer. So I just contented myself with pleasant conversations every two weeks.

Then one day, right near the end of my treatment, seemingly out of nowhere, she said, "I dreamed about you last night."

I panicked. I couldn't imagine any follow-up to that that wasn't going to be weird or disappointing or stressful.

I don't remember what I said or how the conversation went from there, but it was noncommittal enough that I never learned the details of her dream, and our last few appointments were straightforwardly professional, and that was that. My cancer never recurred, and I haven't seen her since.

I've always wondered, but you know - if I had it to do over again, I doubt I'd do any differently.