Eureka!


-----Original Message-----
From: edith love <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2002 4:07 PM
Subject: New Internist: First Appointment


>Hi, Everyone,
>
>Someone better pinch me because I think I'm in a Sinemet/Mirapex cocoon!
>You know, the kind where you sit in a comfortable chair, and, before you
>know it, you're out like a light "adventuring in La La Land!
>
>Today was the day.  This afternoon the time.  And what an experience!
>However, to fully explain this amazing occurrence more completely, let me
>walk back a few paces.
>
>To prepare for my appointment with my new internist, I took a copy of the
>HOW DID WE GET HERE ANYWAY SURVEY, changed the WE to I and completed it as
I
>did before for the actual survey-plus additions.  I also completed my
Power
>of Attorney - Advance Health Care Directive and took a copy of it with
>me, too.  I had to be sure that my new physician would agree to my
> "HEALTH CARE" decisions.
>
>Upon entering the office, the receptionist handed me the usual basic
>"patient history" form.  I offered my survey instead.  She looked at it and
>told me that it was far and above anything they had given me. Then she made
>arrangements to have a blank copy of the survey sent to their office for
>their use
>
>Another sheet was handed to me.  This one was entitled:
>HOW TO GET THE MOST OF TODAY'S APPOINTMENT, and it covered the day's major
>concern, information on any med refills necessary, room for pertinent
>questions to be asked and a reminder to be aware of what procedures were
>done and what would be done during the next appointment.  It finalized with
>a reminder to carry the doctor's card in case of an emergency.  Was I
>impressed!  Aside from the usual short history, the only thing I have been
>constantly asked at each medical visit was/is, "Do you have Black Lung
>Disease!?!"
>
>After the usual weight, height, blood pressure routine, I was escorted into

>an examining room. Some time later,  the doctor and a resident appeared.
>They had been late getting into the examining room because they had not
only
>been studying  my survey information, they had actually gotten my records
>from neurology and were amazingly versed on my medical condition!   There
he
>stood with this huge file!  All I could think of was, "Is this for real!?!"
>
>Before he could do anything, I mentioned that before I could be his
patient,
>I had to be sure he agreed to my health care instructions and showed him
the
>pages.  He not only completely agreed with me, he congratulated me on the
>caliber of the material presented and said he wished that all of his
>patients were so well prepared.  He even filled in his own section on
>PRIMARY PHYSICIAN!  Excited?  Ecstatic?  Dare I say?
>
>What followed was an hour and a half of discussion and exam.  Instead of
>telling me what I needed, it was, "These are the things we can do for you.
>You decide what is the  most important for you NOW."  In addition, I was
>informed that I had an excellent neuro-one extremely capable M.D., and he
>would be consulting with that M.D. before my next appointment with him.
>
> Words cannot fully express how impressed I was/am with his knowledge of my
>case!  He verified the ongoing diagnosis--something different, not seen
>before, the area of the brain involved, etc.  To me, this is almost too
good
>to be true, but just in case I'm dreaming, please do me a favor.   Don't
>awaken me!
>
>In thought and mind; in caring and friendship,
>E of the headdress
>
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