Doctors

Throughout this experience in the last almost 10 years, we have gone to a doctor at least once a week, and up to about 8 times a week.  It keeps me busy enough that having a job with regular hours is really out of the question.  There have been times when we have vacationed, and therefore gone without seeing a doctor at all for longer than a week, but we pay for it before and after because we have to increase those appointments to make up for time lost.  The different kinds of doctors we have been to include:

• Orthopedic surgeon
• Opthomologist
• Neurophycologist
• Neurologist
• Pulomologist
• Cardiologist
• Podiatrist
• Primary Care
• Psychiatrist
• Dermatologist
• Chiropractor
• Dentist
• Periodontist
• Gastroenterologist
• Hemotologist
• Urologist
• Endocrinologist
• Wound Care Doctor
• Infectious disease specialist
• Internal Medicine

It is important for us not to just have doctors, but to have the best doctors.  Finding those doctors is always a challenge, especially when you move to a new location.  We do not ever go to the "nearest" doctor, we go to the best one, and if that means traveling outside of our area, we do it.  We do and have traveled to other states to receive the kind of care that Richard needs.  Even in our own area, we usually travel quite a distance to go to the doctor.  

If you have read other posts in our story you realize that we have not always had the best doctors, and doing so has caused issues that we will live with the rest of Richard's life.  But those doctors were not our choice.  Now we have the choice, and so we make sure that we make the correct choice. A lot of research goes into finding the doctors that we use.  There are times when we have to go by the advice/suggestion of the doctors that we have.  Still, if we see red flags with a doctor, we don't stay there. We have been burned too many times.  

Our advice here is to research, talk to competant medical professionals, talk to others with major medical issues. Interview doctors. Do not take the advice of people who are friends with or go to church with, or are in a club with a doctor.  Do not take the advice of people who do not have major medical issues.  Their needs are different than those who do have medical problems. Find the best doctor, and if that means waiting in the waiting room for 3 hours or more to see the doctor that it is the best one, do it.  It is worth the wait.

Richard's best doctor in Las Vegas is a pulmonologist.  We have waited half a day in his waiting room to see him, and I have complained while waiting, even saying things like, "We are never coming back here again." And then, the doctor walks in.  He gives us 100% of his attention, knowledge, and compassion. He stays as long as he needs to to answer our questions. He never makes us feel that we are taking up too much of his time or being a burden in any way.  When you find this doctor, then waiting for half a day to see him seems like a small price to pay.  On my way out, after complaining, I say, "I see why I keep coming back.  He is worth the wait."