Question:
For all the bad rep docs have been receiving in this forum as of late (and shame on you who have contributed to this bashing while still relying on docs), I would like to hear from all the folks here who's family, themselves or their friends who have been helped or who's lives have been saved or enriched by docs. If we all threw away our faith in docs, just where would we be?
I am not in least bit "blinded" by the fact that I am married to one of the good docs. I too know docs I wouldn't send people to. But I know after 30+ years in the field that there are more good docs than bad. Just as I believe there are more good teens than bad. But it's the bad stuff that makes the news. Same goes for teachers and policemen, etc.
Here's one of my stories. Many years ago there was a neuro surgeon in town who took one look at my grandmother and held her head in his hands and without a single test told her she'd had a stroke and that he was going to make her well. He did just that. I had the privilege to work with this man in the OR many years later. I never related the story to him. I kept it to myself and in my heart. He was just as loving in the OR to every patient and very endearing to me as well on a professional and personal level without ever knowing the very personal connection we had.
His name was Francis O'Brien. He died at home of a massive stroke at a reasonable age, although I thought he should have lived on forever. To you Frank, my friend, thank you.
To all the wonderful derms and rheumys who sustain us. To all the wonderful internists and specialists who keep us alive. We thank you and appreciate your dedication and sacrifice. Where would some of us be without you? Dead or wishing we were, that's where.
With Respect to the Medical Profession,
Annie
This is a great idea Annie! The truth of the matter is that most of the time the worst doctor is still better than self evaluating your health and self medicating.
As an infant I was very ill. I had many health issues and I'm told that I was not expected to live past my second month of life. I can't give to many details because this is obviously far beyond my memory could ever recall, but I do know that my pediatrician (the same one I saw until I was 18 and only left because my mom made me see an adult doctor) saved my life. The various illnesses I suffered from were hard to treat and harder to diagnose from what the people who stayed with me day and night in the hospital have said. I loved my pediatrician (he retired recently, but he is a family friend) and I am convinced that it's because he treated me so well that I never had a fear of doctors and had such a connection to this great man.
I have a lot of stories that I can say about amazing doctors going far beyond the call of duty, but I want this thread to grow. I will continue to add some stories that I have been personally involved in as entries are added.
Annie,
One of my favorite physicians is one that I work with. He is the kindest man I have ever met. He knows EVERYTHING about his patients. He works mostly with the elderly and he can rattle off their family members and the little quirks that each of the patients he cares for has. He never seems to be in a rush and most of all, he exudes confidence-- putting everyone at ease. I just love this man. He exemplifies what a physcian should be. If he wasn't so far away from me I would choose him to be my family physcian.
It is not fair to lump all docs into one category. They are human beings. Not everyone is the same and it is up to the consumer to do their homework. The beauty of the healthcare system that we have is that if you do not like the physcian you have you can just go to another one. Believe me, when their practices start to drop, many of the bad physicians will get the message!!!
Annie,
If not for the great doctors at Boston Medical Center four years ago my brother in law would not be with us. He fell 30' off a roof ( in work ) Dec. 20, 2001 and landed in a driveway. He was airlifted to Boston. His chances of survival were very slim, he had (has) a tramatic brain injury, two broken legs, a broken wrist and one arm was completely shattered. He lost his vision in one eye completely and has no periphial vision in the other. After spending months in a coma, rehabilitation & numerous operations he is now walking, talking and holds down a part time job. You wouldn't even know anything is wrong with him. He cannot drive due to his eyesight and has issues with some short term memory. Is he 100%, well no, but are any of us?
Thanks to the staff at the Boston Medical Center trauma unit.
I love my rheumy. He just nailed another medical issue unrelated to my PA, if not for his trained eye it would have gone by the boards and I can't imagine what the consequences would be for me. He's kind, compassionate, has a great sense of humor & he's brilliant. He helps with making decisions more as a partner type of relationship, we discuss treatment options and he puts me in control of what I want to do. ( except prednisone lol )... :p
Great thread Annie,
Karen
The beauty of the healthcare system that we have is that if you do not like the physcian you have you can just go to another one. Believe me, when their practices start to drop, many of the bad physicians will get the message!!!
Not everyone can change physicians. The reason may be the type of health insurance, availability of doctors in the area, limited transportation, finances, etc.
Not everyone can change physicians. The reason may be the type of health insurance, availability of doctors in the area, limited transportation, finances, etc.
You may not be able to change a physician because of some of the things you have posted, but the fact of the matter is is that you can! You are not locked into a contract with your physician and if your health is what matters to you, you can just pick up and find someone with a little more experience at diagnosing what is wrong with you. You may have to pay or go out- of -network but like I said, this is available to everyone with or without money to choose.
Hundreds if not thousands of people do it everyday. They come from all over to the states to see our doctors. We (USA) have some of the best treatment facilities. I managed to find a derm and a good 20 miles away but it was all worth it to me. I would not have the clearing I have today if this wasn't an option.
Marie :)
One thing I'd like to see them do, is start using the LEAST invasive/expensive tests to try to diagnose symptoms rather than starting the MOST invasive tests. I've had two recent experiences where they've gone to the most expensive, most invasive tests first and I've been appalled at the cost. No WONDER our health insurance costs are so high!! Seems to me, that they should start from the other direction (which is what we do in troubleshooting computers - eliminate "user error" before reinstalling the operating system!!) and work their way up to these more serious tests.
Oh, they can't do that! If they did, they wouldn't be earning their keep! :rolleyes:
There are certainly good and bad doctors in much the same way as there are good and bad anythings, but in my personal experience there are far more good, caring, kind and compasionate doctors than there are quacks. Sadly there are far too many quacks that hide behind their medical shingles.
I am proud to list Dr. Jerry Bagel, M.D. as one of the good guys and I feel fortunate to have scheduled my first appointment at his treatment center over 20 years ago.
Thanks Jerry!
Good thread Annie!
Obviously anyone can post where they like, but this thread was started to relate some good experiences. The nightmare docs thread seemed to be going off in the direction of complaints.
So here's another good story keeping with the intent of this thread. My uncle was in his sixties when his health became very poor. After several cancer surgeries and complicating medical conditions, a new cancer was found which would have required radical disfiguring surgery and would not have extended his life for very long if he indeed survived the surgery.
A very compassionate surgeon sat down with my mother, my sister and myself and presented the case to us. This was at no cost to us and he spent over an hour with us. The surgery would have been paid in full as my uncle had very good benefits. With the help of the surgeon it was decided not to proceed with the surgery and to keep my uncle comfortable for the remainder of his life, which this wonderful man did.
Thanks to the docs who enrich our lives.
Annie
Last time we did it it was worth about 5 posts and made it only 1 day. Maybe our doctors have changed things in the past few months!
Still worth posting in my opinion.
I take issue with this statement, because of things that have happened to my parents and myself. If I hadn't spoke up and INSISTED that the doctors listened, I would not have been treated for what was really wrong with me. My mother would've been over-medicated (and dealing with the additional side effects of stressing her heart disease) for diabetes & high blood pressure. In all my dealings with doctors in the past 10 years, most often I was told that they "just didn't know" what was causing my symptoms and I had no other choice but to learn enough about diagnosing myself and treating myself.
I know it was the last thing you wanted to do, but you probably just proved my point even more so with the above paragraph!
You may have had to fight to get the doctor to listen, but he/she did eventually listen and the proper actions were taken. The other option I offered was "no doctor at all" in which case it seems from what you stated above that maybe untreatment would have resulted in potential death. So based on my statement that "bad doc vs. no doc" it seems you were better off with the bad doc.
One thing I'd like to see them do, is start using the LEAST invasive/expensive tests to try to diagnose symptoms rather than starting the MOST invasive tests. I've had two recent experiences where they've gone to the most expensive, most invasive tests first and I've been appalled at the cost.
Usually the reason doctor's do this is to rule out serious problems first. I had stomach issues about 10 years ago and the doctor wanted to rule out cancer first and put me through those invasive tests that aren't fun. It turned out I was lactose intolerant. Had it been cancer and the doc would have had me doing elimination diets to see if it was food related first a month or more could have passed and what can cancer do in a month if left untreated? I know everyone wants to think that doctors are evil by nature and more often than not just trying to support big insurance and big pharmaceuticals at the order of some right wing conspiratory president, but the truth is that more often than not they are looking out for the patient and without them we would be in a lot of trouble!
Last time we did it it was worth about 5 posts and made it only 1 day. Maybe our doctors have changed things in the past few months!
Actually, this is really far from old news. The listing of names is not quite the same as telling real life stories. Also, every thread is destined to fade out at some point, so deserve to fade faster than others, but that is just the nature of a message board.
Here's one for one from a very close friend of mine.
My friend was getting very ill and no doctor could diagnose what was wrong with him. All he and they knew was that he was running out of time from some disease that had no symptoms and seemingly wasn't showing up in blood tests. The lack of diagnosis was not from bad doctors. My friend is very welthy and saw a couple of big time doctors that were baffled as well as everyone else.
My friend was pointed in the direction of a local doctor of cuban decent from a friend of his because this doctor was a nice guy with a good bedside manor, but for no other reason. This cuban doctor ran some blood tests and low and behold he diagnosed a very very rare cancer of the blood. Obviously everyone was baffled as to how this "no named" doctor could pick up something that has a very hard to find discrepency in blood work.
It turns out that when you go to medical school in cuba after you graduate you are required to serve a certain amount of time as resident doctor in the remote areas of the island where it's nothing but poverty. With out this law those areas would never get a doctor in their villages. This doctor saw a case of this blood cancer in the remote area of cuba and was able to diagnose it as almost a fluke. Since he saw it once he was able to recognize it again.
All the doctors agreed that had this mystery doctor not found the diagnosis my friend would have survived no more than another month. They were able to fight the cancer aggressively and put into remission!!!
I regret not remembering the name of the cancer or the doctor that diagnosed it.
I think finding a Doctor one likes is a very personal thing, that's why a website like ratemd.com doesn't do much for me. First I want a Doctor with good diagnostic skills, if they don't know what's wrong with you, how do they begin to treat you.
Luckily, last year I found a surgeon in Miami that I loved and trusted. He was not the orginal surgeon that I was referred to, rather a doctor that I found after intensive research. His skill with the knife saved me from several severe complications. When it came time that I had to move, he referred me to several different Doctors in my new location. He suggested making appointments with all of them and 'interviewing' them to see which one I would like to continue with. He said that he would trust anyone of them to do to further surgery, but it was up to me to select the one that I liked the most. I loved this approach!
I did just that. Now, although I still miss my first surgeon, I have a new Doctor that I trust and like as well.
The youngest daughter of a very good friend of mine suffers from a very rare genetic disease called Familial Dysautonomia (here's a link: http://www.familialdysautonomia.org...t%20for %20FD?) or FD. She's not expected to live beyond the age of 30. (She's 16.) She's suffered from FD since birth, but wasn't properly diagnosed until shortly before her 9th birthday. She was diagnosed when she was hospitalized (for the umpteenth time) for pneumonia. (Respiratory issues are a common symptom of FD.) She was diagnosed in a very unusual way. She was in the pediatric ICU and the doctor of another patient overheard a conversation about her. He asked a few questions and then told my friends that their daughter's symptoms reminded him about a case that he saw when he was a resident at NYU Medical Center in New York. He asked permission to see her chart. Convinced that he was right, he called the ONLY doctor in the New York area that specializes in FD. She agreed with his preliminary diagnosis. A copy of the chart was Fed Exed to her and she agreed to an emergency appointment. The diagnosis was made on New Year's Eve and the rest as they say is history.
There but the grace of God go I.
Mike
P.S. The pediatrician who first suspected FD never sent a bill. The diagnosis was devastating, but we're all forever grateful to him. It was a relief to finally get an answer.
Edit: This case, which sadly involves three children from the same family, is eerily similar to my friends' daughter's case: http://www.beingjewish.org/magazine...2/article4.html. The doctor who is mentioned in the article is the one that my friends see.
My sister was diagnosed with Guillane Barre Syndrome in 1999. It is a damaging virus that enters the spinal column and leads to temporary paralysis. She was admitted to a small town hospital who, despite the obstacles, took very good care of her. When she continued to deteriorate rapidly, the wonderful doctors at this hospital knew they could no longer care for her. She was then transported to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis. She had an amazing team of doctors and nurses at both hospitals who went out of their way to care for her.
I would have to agree with Annie. The good docs most definitely outweigh the bad. As serious as my sister's condition was, it was a good feeling to know the first set of doctor's knew their limitations. They made no qualms about the fact that her illness was something they knew very little about and felt she would be better off at another hospital. Because of those doctors' recommendations, my sister was able to leave the hospital after 4 months, rehab for another 4 months, go back to law school and graduate. She is now a State's Attorney for the State of Illinois.
hello all
well i like the doc i go to. if i didn't i wouldn't go. he might make a miss take but he is only human like us. no one is perfect. i don't judge all doc,s because of a few. but that's me.
have a good night all
richard
Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors, but perhaps just bad people in general. Because a bad person enters the medical field I don't think you can blame the industry because believe it or not I will gaurentee you there are bad people in every industry.
One more thing to add is that a doctor is only as good his experience is. Although it's true that they all spent the same time in medical school all of us know that school is not where we learn about our industries, it takes real world experience to master our professions. Don't label an inexperienced doctor as bad, he/she needs to learn the ropes just like each of us did in our industries.
Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors,
I'm taking this quote out of context to make yet another very valid point. Sometimes the doc with the great bedside manner is not the doc you really want. I think this especially true with surgeons who don't usually get to know their patients over a long period of time such as an internist does. I've known great surgeons with NO bedside manner and not so great surgeons with great bedside manners.
Let's face it, life is a balancing act. Not much different with medicine. And Rich made a good point. Doctors are only human. Medicine is not an exact science, it is confusing and complicated. It's a lot of trial and error. If we entered our symptoms into a computer to come up with a diagnosis and treatment, it would give us so any variants it would make our heads spin. I'm glad we have talented caring doctors who try their best to sort out what ou bodies are saying.
Annie
Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors, but perhaps just bad people in general. Because a bad person enters the medical field I don't think you can blame the industry because believe it or not I will gaurentee you there are bad people in every industry.
.
You have a good point here. Does it matter what your doctor's bedside manner is like? I think we all tend to trust our doctors more when they are nice, caring, and considerate, but his personality has nothing to do with his skills as a good doctor. Does it matter if he beats or chokes his wife, curses his kids, and is mean to animals? Of course it matters. We would like to think our doctors are well adjusted people. We do really need to keep in mind that they are just human being trying to do their best, and just like each of us, they too have their bad days.
Patty
Hi,
thanks for stating this thread Annie. There are so many really great doctors out there.
I have one of the best rheumatologist around, in my opinion and in many others that have him too. His name is Dr. Chris Ritchlin and works out of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital and has a private practice in Rochester too. He has worked diligently in research as well as his own practice as well as clinical trial studies. I feel very lucky to be able to call myself one of his patients, He not only is very smart, but is very caring and works well with people. He has helped so many in our area and around the world with his research, but still has time to talk to you personally too.
We are lucky there are Doctors like Dr. Chris Ritchlin.
Sandy
Sometimes the doc with the great bedside manner is not the doc you really want.
Annie,
I love this statement...it's so true. The last thing I look for in a surgeon is his bedside manner!
Obviously anyone can post where they like, but this thread was started to relate some good experiences. The nightmare docs thread seemed to be going off in the direction of complaints.
So here's another good story keeping with the intent of this thread. My uncle was in his sixties when his health became very poor. After several cancer surgeries and complicating medical conditions, a new cancer was found which would have required radical disfiguring surgery and would not have extended his life for very long if he indeed survived the surgery.
A very compassionate surgeon sat down with my mother, my sister and myself and presented the case to us. This was at no cost to us and he spent over an hour with us. The surgery would have been paid in full as my uncle had very good benefits. With the help of the surgeon it was decided not to proceed with the surgery and to keep my uncle comfortable for the remainder of his life, which this wonderful man did.
Thanks to the docs who enrich our lives.
Annie
The consultation is included in the surgeons fee is it not?
I am not in least bit "blinded" by the fact that I am married to one of the good docs. I too know docs I wouldn't send people to. But I know after 30+ years in the field that there are more good docs than bad. Just as I believe there are more good teens than bad. But it's the bad stuff that makes the news. Same goes for teachers and policemen, etc.
Here's one of my stories. Many years ago there was a neuro surgeon in town who took one look at my grandmother and held her head in his hands and without a single test told her she'd had a stroke and that he was going to make her well. He did just that. I had the privilege to work with this man in the OR many years later. I never related the story to him. I kept it to myself and in my heart. He was just as loving in the OR to every patient and very endearing to me as well on a professional and personal level without ever knowing the very personal connection we had.
His name was Francis O'Brien. He died at home of a massive stroke at a reasonable age, although I thought he should have lived on forever. To you Frank, my friend, thank you.
To all the wonderful derms and rheumys who sustain us. To all the wonderful internists and specialists who keep us alive. We thank you and appreciate your dedication and sacrifice. Where would some of us be without you? Dead or wishing we were, that's where.
With Respect to the Medical Profession,
Annie
Answers:
This is a great idea Annie! The truth of the matter is that most of the time the worst doctor is still better than self evaluating your health and self medicating.
As an infant I was very ill. I had many health issues and I'm told that I was not expected to live past my second month of life. I can't give to many details because this is obviously far beyond my memory could ever recall, but I do know that my pediatrician (the same one I saw until I was 18 and only left because my mom made me see an adult doctor) saved my life. The various illnesses I suffered from were hard to treat and harder to diagnose from what the people who stayed with me day and night in the hospital have said. I loved my pediatrician (he retired recently, but he is a family friend) and I am convinced that it's because he treated me so well that I never had a fear of doctors and had such a connection to this great man.
I have a lot of stories that I can say about amazing doctors going far beyond the call of duty, but I want this thread to grow. I will continue to add some stories that I have been personally involved in as entries are added.
Answers:
Annie,
One of my favorite physicians is one that I work with. He is the kindest man I have ever met. He knows EVERYTHING about his patients. He works mostly with the elderly and he can rattle off their family members and the little quirks that each of the patients he cares for has. He never seems to be in a rush and most of all, he exudes confidence-- putting everyone at ease. I just love this man. He exemplifies what a physcian should be. If he wasn't so far away from me I would choose him to be my family physcian.
It is not fair to lump all docs into one category. They are human beings. Not everyone is the same and it is up to the consumer to do their homework. The beauty of the healthcare system that we have is that if you do not like the physcian you have you can just go to another one. Believe me, when their practices start to drop, many of the bad physicians will get the message!!!
Answers:
Annie,
If not for the great doctors at Boston Medical Center four years ago my brother in law would not be with us. He fell 30' off a roof ( in work ) Dec. 20, 2001 and landed in a driveway. He was airlifted to Boston. His chances of survival were very slim, he had (has) a tramatic brain injury, two broken legs, a broken wrist and one arm was completely shattered. He lost his vision in one eye completely and has no periphial vision in the other. After spending months in a coma, rehabilitation & numerous operations he is now walking, talking and holds down a part time job. You wouldn't even know anything is wrong with him. He cannot drive due to his eyesight and has issues with some short term memory. Is he 100%, well no, but are any of us?
Thanks to the staff at the Boston Medical Center trauma unit.
I love my rheumy. He just nailed another medical issue unrelated to my PA, if not for his trained eye it would have gone by the boards and I can't imagine what the consequences would be for me. He's kind, compassionate, has a great sense of humor & he's brilliant. He helps with making decisions more as a partner type of relationship, we discuss treatment options and he puts me in control of what I want to do. ( except prednisone lol )... :p
Great thread Annie,
Karen
Answers:
The beauty of the healthcare system that we have is that if you do not like the physcian you have you can just go to another one. Believe me, when their practices start to drop, many of the bad physicians will get the message!!!
Not everyone can change physicians. The reason may be the type of health insurance, availability of doctors in the area, limited transportation, finances, etc.
Not everyone can change physicians. The reason may be the type of health insurance, availability of doctors in the area, limited transportation, finances, etc.
You may not be able to change a physician because of some of the things you have posted, but the fact of the matter is is that you can! You are not locked into a contract with your physician and if your health is what matters to you, you can just pick up and find someone with a little more experience at diagnosing what is wrong with you. You may have to pay or go out- of -network but like I said, this is available to everyone with or without money to choose.
Hundreds if not thousands of people do it everyday. They come from all over to the states to see our doctors. We (USA) have some of the best treatment facilities. I managed to find a derm and a good 20 miles away but it was all worth it to me. I would not have the clearing I have today if this wasn't an option.
Marie :)
Answers:
One thing I'd like to see them do, is start using the LEAST invasive/expensive tests to try to diagnose symptoms rather than starting the MOST invasive tests. I've had two recent experiences where they've gone to the most expensive, most invasive tests first and I've been appalled at the cost. No WONDER our health insurance costs are so high!! Seems to me, that they should start from the other direction (which is what we do in troubleshooting computers - eliminate "user error" before reinstalling the operating system!!) and work their way up to these more serious tests.
Oh, they can't do that! If they did, they wouldn't be earning their keep! :rolleyes:
Answers:
There are certainly good and bad doctors in much the same way as there are good and bad anythings, but in my personal experience there are far more good, caring, kind and compasionate doctors than there are quacks. Sadly there are far too many quacks that hide behind their medical shingles.
I am proud to list Dr. Jerry Bagel, M.D. as one of the good guys and I feel fortunate to have scheduled my first appointment at his treatment center over 20 years ago.
Thanks Jerry!
Good thread Annie!
Answers:
Obviously anyone can post where they like, but this thread was started to relate some good experiences. The nightmare docs thread seemed to be going off in the direction of complaints.
So here's another good story keeping with the intent of this thread. My uncle was in his sixties when his health became very poor. After several cancer surgeries and complicating medical conditions, a new cancer was found which would have required radical disfiguring surgery and would not have extended his life for very long if he indeed survived the surgery.
A very compassionate surgeon sat down with my mother, my sister and myself and presented the case to us. This was at no cost to us and he spent over an hour with us. The surgery would have been paid in full as my uncle had very good benefits. With the help of the surgeon it was decided not to proceed with the surgery and to keep my uncle comfortable for the remainder of his life, which this wonderful man did.
Thanks to the docs who enrich our lives.
Annie
Answers:
Last time we did it it was worth about 5 posts and made it only 1 day. Maybe our doctors have changed things in the past few months!
Answers:
Still worth posting in my opinion.
Answers:
I take issue with this statement, because of things that have happened to my parents and myself. If I hadn't spoke up and INSISTED that the doctors listened, I would not have been treated for what was really wrong with me. My mother would've been over-medicated (and dealing with the additional side effects of stressing her heart disease) for diabetes & high blood pressure. In all my dealings with doctors in the past 10 years, most often I was told that they "just didn't know" what was causing my symptoms and I had no other choice but to learn enough about diagnosing myself and treating myself.
I know it was the last thing you wanted to do, but you probably just proved my point even more so with the above paragraph!
You may have had to fight to get the doctor to listen, but he/she did eventually listen and the proper actions were taken. The other option I offered was "no doctor at all" in which case it seems from what you stated above that maybe untreatment would have resulted in potential death. So based on my statement that "bad doc vs. no doc" it seems you were better off with the bad doc.
One thing I'd like to see them do, is start using the LEAST invasive/expensive tests to try to diagnose symptoms rather than starting the MOST invasive tests. I've had two recent experiences where they've gone to the most expensive, most invasive tests first and I've been appalled at the cost.
Usually the reason doctor's do this is to rule out serious problems first. I had stomach issues about 10 years ago and the doctor wanted to rule out cancer first and put me through those invasive tests that aren't fun. It turned out I was lactose intolerant. Had it been cancer and the doc would have had me doing elimination diets to see if it was food related first a month or more could have passed and what can cancer do in a month if left untreated? I know everyone wants to think that doctors are evil by nature and more often than not just trying to support big insurance and big pharmaceuticals at the order of some right wing conspiratory president, but the truth is that more often than not they are looking out for the patient and without them we would be in a lot of trouble!
Answers:
Last time we did it it was worth about 5 posts and made it only 1 day. Maybe our doctors have changed things in the past few months!
Actually, this is really far from old news. The listing of names is not quite the same as telling real life stories. Also, every thread is destined to fade out at some point, so deserve to fade faster than others, but that is just the nature of a message board.
Answers:
Here's one for one from a very close friend of mine.
My friend was getting very ill and no doctor could diagnose what was wrong with him. All he and they knew was that he was running out of time from some disease that had no symptoms and seemingly wasn't showing up in blood tests. The lack of diagnosis was not from bad doctors. My friend is very welthy and saw a couple of big time doctors that were baffled as well as everyone else.
My friend was pointed in the direction of a local doctor of cuban decent from a friend of his because this doctor was a nice guy with a good bedside manor, but for no other reason. This cuban doctor ran some blood tests and low and behold he diagnosed a very very rare cancer of the blood. Obviously everyone was baffled as to how this "no named" doctor could pick up something that has a very hard to find discrepency in blood work.
It turns out that when you go to medical school in cuba after you graduate you are required to serve a certain amount of time as resident doctor in the remote areas of the island where it's nothing but poverty. With out this law those areas would never get a doctor in their villages. This doctor saw a case of this blood cancer in the remote area of cuba and was able to diagnose it as almost a fluke. Since he saw it once he was able to recognize it again.
All the doctors agreed that had this mystery doctor not found the diagnosis my friend would have survived no more than another month. They were able to fight the cancer aggressively and put into remission!!!
I regret not remembering the name of the cancer or the doctor that diagnosed it.
Answers:
I think finding a Doctor one likes is a very personal thing, that's why a website like ratemd.com doesn't do much for me. First I want a Doctor with good diagnostic skills, if they don't know what's wrong with you, how do they begin to treat you.
Luckily, last year I found a surgeon in Miami that I loved and trusted. He was not the orginal surgeon that I was referred to, rather a doctor that I found after intensive research. His skill with the knife saved me from several severe complications. When it came time that I had to move, he referred me to several different Doctors in my new location. He suggested making appointments with all of them and 'interviewing' them to see which one I would like to continue with. He said that he would trust anyone of them to do to further surgery, but it was up to me to select the one that I liked the most. I loved this approach!
I did just that. Now, although I still miss my first surgeon, I have a new Doctor that I trust and like as well.
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The youngest daughter of a very good friend of mine suffers from a very rare genetic disease called Familial Dysautonomia (here's a link: http://www.familialdysautonomia.org...t%20for %20FD?) or FD. She's not expected to live beyond the age of 30. (She's 16.) She's suffered from FD since birth, but wasn't properly diagnosed until shortly before her 9th birthday. She was diagnosed when she was hospitalized (for the umpteenth time) for pneumonia. (Respiratory issues are a common symptom of FD.) She was diagnosed in a very unusual way. She was in the pediatric ICU and the doctor of another patient overheard a conversation about her. He asked a few questions and then told my friends that their daughter's symptoms reminded him about a case that he saw when he was a resident at NYU Medical Center in New York. He asked permission to see her chart. Convinced that he was right, he called the ONLY doctor in the New York area that specializes in FD. She agreed with his preliminary diagnosis. A copy of the chart was Fed Exed to her and she agreed to an emergency appointment. The diagnosis was made on New Year's Eve and the rest as they say is history.
There but the grace of God go I.
Mike
P.S. The pediatrician who first suspected FD never sent a bill. The diagnosis was devastating, but we're all forever grateful to him. It was a relief to finally get an answer.
Edit: This case, which sadly involves three children from the same family, is eerily similar to my friends' daughter's case: http://www.beingjewish.org/magazine...2/article4.html. The doctor who is mentioned in the article is the one that my friends see.
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My sister was diagnosed with Guillane Barre Syndrome in 1999. It is a damaging virus that enters the spinal column and leads to temporary paralysis. She was admitted to a small town hospital who, despite the obstacles, took very good care of her. When she continued to deteriorate rapidly, the wonderful doctors at this hospital knew they could no longer care for her. She was then transported to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis. She had an amazing team of doctors and nurses at both hospitals who went out of their way to care for her.
I would have to agree with Annie. The good docs most definitely outweigh the bad. As serious as my sister's condition was, it was a good feeling to know the first set of doctor's knew their limitations. They made no qualms about the fact that her illness was something they knew very little about and felt she would be better off at another hospital. Because of those doctors' recommendations, my sister was able to leave the hospital after 4 months, rehab for another 4 months, go back to law school and graduate. She is now a State's Attorney for the State of Illinois.
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hello all
well i like the doc i go to. if i didn't i wouldn't go. he might make a miss take but he is only human like us. no one is perfect. i don't judge all doc,s because of a few. but that's me.
have a good night all
richard
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Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors, but perhaps just bad people in general. Because a bad person enters the medical field I don't think you can blame the industry because believe it or not I will gaurentee you there are bad people in every industry.
One more thing to add is that a doctor is only as good his experience is. Although it's true that they all spent the same time in medical school all of us know that school is not where we learn about our industries, it takes real world experience to master our professions. Don't label an inexperienced doctor as bad, he/she needs to learn the ropes just like each of us did in our industries.
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Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors,
I'm taking this quote out of context to make yet another very valid point. Sometimes the doc with the great bedside manner is not the doc you really want. I think this especially true with surgeons who don't usually get to know their patients over a long period of time such as an internist does. I've known great surgeons with NO bedside manner and not so great surgeons with great bedside manners.
Let's face it, life is a balancing act. Not much different with medicine. And Rich made a good point. Doctors are only human. Medicine is not an exact science, it is confusing and complicated. It's a lot of trial and error. If we entered our symptoms into a computer to come up with a diagnosis and treatment, it would give us so any variants it would make our heads spin. I'm glad we have talented caring doctors who try their best to sort out what ou bodies are saying.
Annie
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Another point that is worth making is that there are doctors who have bad bedside manor or bad attitudes and this has nothing to do with them being doctors, but perhaps just bad people in general. Because a bad person enters the medical field I don't think you can blame the industry because believe it or not I will gaurentee you there are bad people in every industry.
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You have a good point here. Does it matter what your doctor's bedside manner is like? I think we all tend to trust our doctors more when they are nice, caring, and considerate, but his personality has nothing to do with his skills as a good doctor. Does it matter if he beats or chokes his wife, curses his kids, and is mean to animals? Of course it matters. We would like to think our doctors are well adjusted people. We do really need to keep in mind that they are just human being trying to do their best, and just like each of us, they too have their bad days.
Patty
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Hi,
thanks for stating this thread Annie. There are so many really great doctors out there.
I have one of the best rheumatologist around, in my opinion and in many others that have him too. His name is Dr. Chris Ritchlin and works out of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital and has a private practice in Rochester too. He has worked diligently in research as well as his own practice as well as clinical trial studies. I feel very lucky to be able to call myself one of his patients, He not only is very smart, but is very caring and works well with people. He has helped so many in our area and around the world with his research, but still has time to talk to you personally too.
We are lucky there are Doctors like Dr. Chris Ritchlin.
Sandy
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Sometimes the doc with the great bedside manner is not the doc you really want.
Annie,
I love this statement...it's so true. The last thing I look for in a surgeon is his bedside manner!
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Obviously anyone can post where they like, but this thread was started to relate some good experiences. The nightmare docs thread seemed to be going off in the direction of complaints.
So here's another good story keeping with the intent of this thread. My uncle was in his sixties when his health became very poor. After several cancer surgeries and complicating medical conditions, a new cancer was found which would have required radical disfiguring surgery and would not have extended his life for very long if he indeed survived the surgery.
A very compassionate surgeon sat down with my mother, my sister and myself and presented the case to us. This was at no cost to us and he spent over an hour with us. The surgery would have been paid in full as my uncle had very good benefits. With the help of the surgeon it was decided not to proceed with the surgery and to keep my uncle comfortable for the remainder of his life, which this wonderful man did.
Thanks to the docs who enrich our lives.
Annie
The consultation is included in the surgeons fee is it not?
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