Doctor, doctor

[fbhjr]

Back in the early 90’s my (now) wife and I lived in an old beat up
apartment in a not so great part of Worcester.  We had a bunch of roommates
that ranged from good folks to drug addict thieves.
At one point one of the good ones announced to us all “I’ve got hepatitis.
You should probably see your doctors and get shots against it.”

I was in my 20’s and hadn’t been to the doctor in years.  When I started at
the company I was at I picked a doctor out of the insurance company’s list
of available doctors and put it on the form.  It was 2 years later and I
had never even called them.
But, I thought this was worth it.
“You’re not a patient,” I was told.  “We’re not taking new ones either.
Find someone else.”
I called my insurance company and asked for advice.
“That’s strange,” they told me.  “We’ve been paying that guy your retainer
for the last 2 years.  We’ll go talk with him, you pick anyone you want and
we’ll accept your choice no questions asked.”

So I started calling doctors in Worcester trying to find one who would give
me a shot against hepatitis.  Going through the phone book, everyone was
full and not taking new paitents.
Finally I came to the health clinic at the subsidized housing development
for the city.
“It’s a two month wait for a doctor,” they told me.  “That is, unless you’d
be willing to take a woman doctor.  In that case we can see you today.”
“Is there some reason women doctors aren’t allowed to give hepatitis
inoculations?” I asked.
“No, anyone can give you the shot.”
“I’m driving over now.”
The doctor was very nice and quickly gave me the shot I needed.
“That will be $50,” the cashier in the main waiting room told me when I
came out.
“Doesn’t my insurance cover any of that?” I asked.
“YOU HAVE INSURANCE?!?!!?”
I’m not sure I would have gotten more attention if I had said “I have a
grenade”.
The few times I needed to go there in the next year I was treated like I
was flying first class.  It was strange to me, and not really what I was
after.  But, I got all my shots and my blood test for when we got married.
Then, my doctor told me she was moving on to greener pastures.
Apparently very few of the folks at this clinic would go and see her
because she was female, and she was going to a different place where she
expected to be able to work more.
I couldn’t really blame her.

As my wife and I were just getting married, she suggested I move over to
her doctor as well.
And, for the last 18 ¾ years that has worked out well enough.
Once a year I’d go to her.  She’d tell me I was fat, eat badly and should
exercise more.  My blood tests would come back fine in everything if a bit
high in pressure.

Last year she was made the head instructor for internal surgery at the
University of Massachusetts.  (The main medical campus is right across the
lake from us in Worcester.)
She “suggested” that her patients might want to find other doctors as she
would have a lot less time for office visits.
But, I’m stubborn and didn’t change.

Today her assistant called me and told me the doctor is formally giving up
dealing with patients on October first.  My appointment on September 18th
could still be with her, or I could switch to the new doctor taking her
place.  But, I have to switch soon.

I considered sticking around for one last round of being called fat by my
old doctor, but then decided I might as well have someone new tell it to
me.  I know nothing about this new doctor other than their last name.
What if it is a guy?
Would he be able to give me a shot if I need one?
Maybe I should go back to the projects….

Comments

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

Carols Doc. is real nice,good,and taking new patients,however her office is on the Holden/Rutland boarder. Good luck. I hate having to see new Doc.s.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

My Doc, [although have rarely seen] who I think is pretty good (deals with a number of us in the family) is Dr. McCahan. He's got a slight Scottish accent.


That time I got hit in the eye I was looked at by a very attractive female doctor. When I had a full-tilt checkup a month or so later, I tried to schedule an appt. with her, as it sort of came about similar to your situation if I cared if it was a woman doctor or not. Ended up getting a fairly young guy who came from Pediatrics available that day.

Somehow hearing him say "Ok, lay back so I can look at your tummy--Er, I mean stomach" didn't quite have the allure I was looking for from the female doctor. But in the end it was probably the better situation, as I seriously doubt anything [good] would have come had it been that female doctor. But, anyway...

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

My wifes doctor is female, and she is very strict, gruff, and either Russian or some Eastern European nationality. My wife is scared of her, and she also thinks that is a good thing. I had actually tried to get the same doctor, but they reassigned me to a guy about 1 year older than me, and he seems quite easy-going and pleasant.

But, we had quite a strange, 6-month paper chase trying to get assigned new doctors due to similar sorts of doctor shuffling. What a headache!