In Praise of the Family Doctor

Let's be honest.  It has been a long, long time since I required the services of a family doctor.  But I needed to assign a primary care doctor for my insurance, and I had a slight cold that didn't seem to warrant calling my gyn/onc back from an out-of-town conference, so I figured what the hell.  I can go mingle with the people with regular ailments for a day.

So I looked up several doctors and compared them by hours of operation and proximity to my house, and arbitrarily chose Dr. Old School.  I went in for my physical feeling very smug, I probably know more about my condition than this run-of-the-mill hack, I thought with more than an air of superiority. 

The office visit started as hundreds of millions of similar appointments have begun.  The nurse walked me back to the exam room and took my blood pressure and temperature.  She quizzed me briefly on the reason for my visit and went to get the doctor.  When he came in (very soon after I might add), he did something that will forever endear him to me, something so radical and yet so simple.

He took all my vitals again himself.

It is rare to find a busy doctor who will even look up from the chart as he breezes through the visit, but to find one that will actually deign to take your blood pressure, now that is really something.  And he didn't do it in a that-damn-nurse-who-can-trust-her way, he did it in a I-am-taking-personal-responsibility-for-your-health-so-it-will-get-done-right way.  It was sweet and old-fashioned while still being a progressive step away from the impersonal care we have grown accustomed to.

He told me I was a special case that they had to keep a special eye on and spoke to me in a way that was at once grandfatherly and respectful.  He offered a home remedy for my cold and an advanced new treatment for my nagging bone pain.  He gave me a referral to an ENT, the one specialist I had not found in the area, who "is a friend" and will "take care of this insurance nastiness about the hearing aids."  The longing for the old days of medicine was obvious in his voice.

The feeling I get after a really successful doctor's appointment is incredible.  It is a rush of euphoria combined with the coziness of a warm fleece blanket.  This visit in particular confirmed my ardent hope that the kind of doctors we are all looking for, ones that pay attention and care, still exist. 

However, it did shatter my belief that they don't actually know what to do with those stethoscopes.

Comments

[Jen]

I am glad you had a good experience at your new primary. I think it's important to feel like you are in "good hands." and he sounded really sweet and caring. I am glad you felt cared for today, and I hope your cold goes away. I too have been fighting a nasty cold, but started taking zinc and it has really helped. You may want to give it a try! HUGS

[sunnyside2day]

Sounds like you did great at picking a new primary doctor!

I too have been looking and have yet to find one like this. What the heck happened to all of them?

[Abby]

I love it when you have a good day! And I hope you get some really fabulous hearing aids--they can make all the difference in the world. (Former sign language interpreter talking here.)

[Minerva]

I have a great GP as well and you are right - going to see him is as restorative as the medicine he hands over..

Hope the cold improves soon,

Minerva

[AJ]

Glad you found sound a wonderful GP, lucky you. Still trying to find the perfect one, can you send him to me in SC. Isn't it wonderful to have a Doctor that is caring like that. Take care....AJ

[AJ]

Glad you found sound a wonderful GP, lucky you. Still trying to find the perfect one, can you send him to me in SC. Isn't it wonderful to have a Doctor that is caring like that. Take care....AJ

[Jeannette]

I am envious of the perfect family doctor. I really dislike mine and will be changing after the first of the year. At least you got a tiny break. I hope you get a big break very soon.

[Lei]

Hi. I made my way here via Cancer, Baby. It sounds like you had a really successful doctor's appointment. I hope all the doctors and healthcare professionals you encounter in the future will be just as kind.

I'm glad I came across your blog. It's a great read AND the layout is awesome, especially love the colors. :)

I've shared it with the readers of my Genetics and Public Health Blog.

Ovarian Cancer and Blog of the Week: Limbodacious
http://www.aboutweblogs.com/item/2354

All the best!