The Special Relationship Between Me and My Doctor
I went to the doctor at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital to have my trache changed. For me changing my trache is quite painful. This time it wasn’t so bad. Every two months I dread this day. Of course, it’s never as bad as I make it out to be.
Also, I found out some news from my doctor that he is leaving Georgetown at the end of July. He is the surgeon who did my tracheostomy in July of 2007 and I have been seeing him for seven years.
My first appointment with him before my surgery, At first I was nervous but as soon as I met him my nerves were gone. He made me feel comfortable and I felt I could trust him with my life. He explained everything to me and what to expect. Always felt more like a friend, not just some doctor.
The surgery went well and without incident. The plan was for a two-week stay that ended up lasting 42 days. Had several infections, pneumonia, and confusion in the plans for me. Then had difficulty eating enough at first. They recommend getting a feeding tube before I could leave the hospital.
During my time there I bonded with the doctor. Found out he was a Yankees fan one day when he came to check on me. SportsCenter was on and highlights from a Yankees game was on. They lost and he got upset. I was like you’re a Yankees fan, come on.
From that day on I always mess with him about being a Yankees fan. He would visit me every weekday until I left. I couldn’t do a swallow study to see if I could start eating again because those lazy nurses drugged me. They lied to the doctors in the ICU that I was anxious.
They put me on Paxil, which treats depression and anxiety. Seroquel as well, which treats schizophrenia and symptoms of bipolar disorder. Everyone who knows me knows that I don’t need those psychotropic drugs. Felt like a zombie, all I wanted to do was sleep. Had sports on but I didn’t watch because I was so out of it.
Finally, my mom asked one of the nurses that we had a good relationship what I was on. My mom asked why I was on those drugs and the nurse said because I was anxious. The nurses were even surprised that my mom who is a social worker in mental health knew what these drugs were.
When he saw me, he canceled my swallow study. Then ordered that they stop those drugs immediately. The next day I did the swallow study and passed. He was helpful with advocating on my behalf to get me out of the hospital as soon as I could.
That awful experience in the ICU would have been so much worse if he hadn’t been there for me. After I got out of the hospital, I came back for a follow-up appointment. While I was there we told him how awful my experience was. He knew most of it already.
Scar tissue that was growing around my trache was causing issues. He tried to make sure that my treatment did not involve placing me in the hospital. Luckily we found an outpatient procedure that would help clear it up.
This procedure has been done three times now. My pulmonary doctor does this procedure. A procedure called Bronchoscopy uses a camera to look down my trache and a laser to burn off the scar tissue.
Thought I would take the news better, but on my way home, I lost it and just started crying. I still have mixed emotions about it, but I know nothing last forever and change is part of life.
The hospital will give me his contact information and I will keep in touch with him. I have trusted him with my life for seven years. I hated getting my trache changed but seeing him always put me at ease.
Now I have to see some new doctor who will not know me and not have the same relationship with. I’m handling it the best that I can. I’m thankful God has blessed me with a wonderful doctor and friend. He shook my hand and gave me hug before he left.
We thanked him for taking such great care of me and wished him the best. I will meet the new doctor in August but I don’t know who it will be. So until my next visit, I will be nervous about who I will get. Now it’s time to rest and watch game 3 of the NBA Finals.
