Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2003. Mattie was a year and a half old and to get a photo for the front of our family Christmas card, we dressed Mattie up in a Christmas sweater and took him to Home Depot. Mattie liked and tolerated only two stores.... Target and Home Depot. I figured if we put him in a shopping cart and had him look at the holiday lights and plants in the store that this would distract him long enough so we could capture him in a photo. This was the photo on the front of our 2003 holiday card.
Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.
- Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 52,593,614
- Number of people who died from the virus: 817,726
This year I decided to change my primary care physician. Not because I did not like my physician I had been seeing for 20+ years, but because I wanted access to a concierge physician. Someone who I could contact 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. I figured this would be helpful given that my parents are now living with us. I wanted the freedom and flexibility to contact a doctor on my terms rather than on theirs. Honestly it sounds good in theory, and probably some offices operate a concierge service in a more appealing and user friendly manner than the one we selected.
The concierge practice I selected is with a physician who is a known quantity to me. In fact, he is the physician who started the primary care practice I have been going to for decades in Arlington, VA. So I know this physician and his reputation. However, for me having a relationship with a physician is crucial. We have to be able to understand each other and have similar communication styles. My former physician is very type A, not unlike me. She dots all her i's and crosses all her t's! I feel that when we are talking about my health, she is thorough and pro-active. My new physician is an engineer by training before becoming a medical doctor. His ability to converse and process information are slower and he has the need to give lectures and educate about esoteric information. I suppose that is fine on a good day, definitely NOT good on a bad day. Since November, this doctor has seen me three times. Yet each time I see him, it feels like this is his first time interacting with me. THIS DOESN'T EARN HIM ANY VICKI POINTS! I make a mental note of this because medicine has to have a human connection with me to be affective.
Any case, this morning I called the doctor's cell number to report my sinus symptoms and to get advice. Instead of working with me by phone, he had me come in. Thankfully I had just finished helping my dad shower and dress. I wasn't happy that he demanded I come in to be seen. After all I picked this service so that I would have more attention and flexibility in how my care is delivered.
I did go to the office and his recommendations were borderline nuts..... he wants me to take multiple showers and breathe in the steam, to try not to cough (like one can control this?!), and then what sent me over the edge was he took out paper and a pen and started to draw for me a picture of my sinuses! Again, I am all for education, but not when my head is filled with fluid and feeling like it could burst. I am signing off to rest and realize I have to take better care of myself in order to be able to continue serving my important caregiving role.
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