Really Good Medical Care

A surprising headline, right?  But after a month of utter frustration with the medical system TBG and I were the recipients of really good medical care.  

We love the practice.  The lobby is cheerful and has fabulous poster art on the walls.  Checking in is painless and simple.  They rarely run late, yet everyone always has as much time as we need.  These days, that alone makes them a unicorn.

Blood pressure and temperature and all the what's wrong with you today questions were handled with sympathy and concern, efficiently and thoughtfully.  Her He'll be in in a minute turned out to be inaccurate; the door had barely closed before TBG's Family Nurse Practitioner walked in.

Old enough to inspire confidence, he reinforced our belief that doctors are not really the people we need in our lives.  We need FNP's and NP's and PA's, all of whom have far surpassed most of the physicians in their offices in terms of time spent and connections made.  Every one of them could be described the same way - they are agreeable.

Not that they aren't challenging, if necessary.  But they share a real acknowledgment of the human sitting in the patient's chair that medical school seems to have beaten out of physicians.  That was certainly in evidence today.

We've spent the last month in limbo, waiting for the specialist to return calls, watching the situation deteriorate.  I'd go to the office, but there is no office.  The practice dissolved and the doctor went to the hospital's department and all one can do is leave a message and hope for the best.  This is not optimal care, especially when conditions change and advice is needed.

Today, FNP Marvelous gave TBG advice, encouragement, explanations, suggestions, a useful prescription, and a change in another that ought to alleviate most of the problem..... which is about as good as it gets and is a totally manageable outcome.  

He did all that calmly, sympathetically, and efficiently.  He texted in the prescription while he was telling us about it.  He had a brochure right at hand, the pictures accompanying his explanation.  He wasn't typing as we spoke.  He was listening and watching and didn't make a big deal of my tears as I watched TBG's shoulders relax for the first time in way too long a time.  

If TBG has another problem, he can call FNP Marvelous, not the specialist.  If he has questions, he's to call FNP Marvelous.  

The appointment was the most delightful encounter I've had with an adult in a while.  It's nice to have a person you can trust with your health.