Talking on your cell phone in the examining room, forgetting what medicines you take and lying to your doctor about your personal health habits are all ways of compromising your health.

CNN: 10 dumb things you do at the doc's office

On a recent weekday morning, as roosters crowed outside, Ms. Foppiani worked in a small room, closely examining a mug with a wide, flat handle that has an old, block print design.

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The first time she had visited my room, she had, after examining my meagre shelf of books, spent several minutes studying the mimeographed photo of Samuel Beckett sitting on the terrace of the Closerie des Lilas that I had taped to the wall.

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