Cynthia Gregory 10 minute Writing Exercise PROMPT: Moment of Truth
As I walked through the doors into the doctor’s office, I started to shake violently. It was the proverbial “moment of truth”.
Checking IN at the front desk, the assistant smiled gently and called the Doctor’s assistant. In an instant, she was in the threshold of the door calling me back.
As we walked through the cavernous hall leading to the doctor’s office, she didn’t ask how I was or what I thought of the weather. As we neared the closed door, she reluctantly commented that she loved the black wool coat I was wearing. Then she turned the doorknob, pushing and holding open the solid wooden door having me pass in alone. There I was deposited into warm, brown office. Dark wood paneling framed the walls and two huge bookcases flanked the stately mahogany desk. I chose to sit in the leather, armless chair nearest the door instead of one of the two gorgeous leather armchairs tastefully centered in the normal patients’ sitting location. I’d never seen his office before. We usually meet in the cold sterile medical room but there was nothing usual about today.
As he walked through the hall to his office, I could hear my doctor say something to the nurse but I couldn’t hear what it was.
When the door opened, I jumped up to greet him and we shook hands.
I don’t remember anything after that.
I left the office with a handful of instructions. Outside, I caught a breath of fresh air and “woke up”. Looking down at the first page, I read my diagnosis.
Triple Positive Breast Cancer Tumor: 2 cm
Oct 11, 2025
