Paul B
NJRC Member
Medical Visit to California
This week I took my wife to La Jolla California for Stem Cell treatment for her Multiple Sclerosis. It is kind of an experimental treatment but we hope it works.
Before the "visit" began we spoke to the nurses a few times there on the phone and they were so nice I thought they were putting me on. The nurse asked my wife questions like they would before a medical procedure.
She asked my wife for her name, and my wife told her "Dale". The nurse said Oh, Awesome. Then she asked her for her birthday. My wife told her and the nurse said Wow, that’s so cool, thank you for telling me that. She asked her weight and said, Fur sure, totally awesome, you are so nice to tell me that. And the rest of the questions went like that. She didn't want to know anything about me or my fish tank.
I figured marijuana is legal there so maybe they were all "happy".
It was a six hour flight and they picked us up from the airport and brought us to the hotel where we checked in. The Supermodel at the desk spoke the same way and gave us cookies which were totally awesome, Fur sure.
The next day they brought us to the clinic where my wife will have the stem cell treatment. The Supermodel nurse comes in with the same attitude, thanking us and explaining the treatment and all that.
Then the doctor comes in with his arms stretched all the way out and says to my wife, First of all, let me give you a big hug. I don't remember any of my doctors here hugging me. Then the doctor explains her treatment to us for an hour and twenty minutes, all the while joking and making my wife at ease. She was really happy when the doctor told her that she doesn't have any belly fat so he has to harvest the fat from her thighs. (They get the stem cells from your fat) He couldn't believe her age and told her she is in the best shape out of almost anybody he treats and that she must spend a lot of time in the gym. She has gone to the gym four times a week for forty years. He didn't mention anything about my thighs or me not having any belly fat or anything.
After the treatment they bring us back to the hotel and call us to see how she is feeling and if she would like another hug, or cookies.
It was the nicest visit to not only a doctor’s office, but to anything.
We got home late last night and I see I got three E mails from them thanking us and asking how my wife is.
That entire experience is so different from a doctor’s visit here in New York.
A visit to the doctor’s office here would go something like this.
First thing in the morning you would call the doctor’s office and get elevator music with a recording that says "Your call is important to us, stay on the phone and your call will be answered by the next available operator". You would get that message twelve or thirteen times with 20-30 minutes of elevator music in between. Then someone would answer and say
"Please Hold."
Now you hear the music again with that same message.
You are now eating dinner with the phone on speaker on the table right next to the bread and mashed potatoes.
The operator comes on and says "can I help you?" You finish chewing and say: Yes, I am trying to make an appoin......... "OK, I will connect you with the appointment desk." Click
You hear:
"Your call is important to us, stay on the line and a representative will get back to you"
Now dinner is over and you are sitting on the couch watching TV with the phone still on speaker. It's hard to concentrate on the TV with Beethoven’s sixth symphony playing through the phone.
"Hello, can I help you? "
Yes, I would like to make an appointment.
"Sorry, the office is now closed; please call back in the morning."
After a few days you get an appointment the week after Easter. It is now December.
You get to the office and park, in the next town because the lot is full and there are a pickup trucks and wheelbarrows in all the handicap parking spaces.
Finally you get into the office and get in line at the desk. You grab lunch.
"The doctor will see you now"
The nurse or the lady who washes the windows shows you to the little room where you get naked, put on a paper gown and wait.
You finish your lunch while you read, "Pregnancy Today or Golf Magazine". Two things you wanted to read but never had the time.
The nurse comes in and asks for three forms of identification with a picture ID and wants to know your medical insurance group number and if they are still in business and how you will pay if the insurance doesn't cover you and how much money do you make as well as what kind of car you drive and what sign are you.
The nurse then says, what’s your name? "Paul", "How do you spell that?" Like the Saint, "Which Saint, Peter?"
No, "P" as in pin head, "A" as in "Are you kidding me", "U" as in are "U" kidding me, and "L" as in "Let me know the college you graduated from".
The nurse leaves.
After you are finished with Golf Digest and have learned 14 ways to breast feed in a subway, the doctor comes in. He doesn't hug you or look at you but looks at your chart and says. I don't see anything blaring here maybe you should see a Podiatrist.
This week I took my wife to La Jolla California for Stem Cell treatment for her Multiple Sclerosis. It is kind of an experimental treatment but we hope it works.
Before the "visit" began we spoke to the nurses a few times there on the phone and they were so nice I thought they were putting me on. The nurse asked my wife questions like they would before a medical procedure.
She asked my wife for her name, and my wife told her "Dale". The nurse said Oh, Awesome. Then she asked her for her birthday. My wife told her and the nurse said Wow, that’s so cool, thank you for telling me that. She asked her weight and said, Fur sure, totally awesome, you are so nice to tell me that. And the rest of the questions went like that. She didn't want to know anything about me or my fish tank.
I figured marijuana is legal there so maybe they were all "happy".
It was a six hour flight and they picked us up from the airport and brought us to the hotel where we checked in. The Supermodel at the desk spoke the same way and gave us cookies which were totally awesome, Fur sure.
The next day they brought us to the clinic where my wife will have the stem cell treatment. The Supermodel nurse comes in with the same attitude, thanking us and explaining the treatment and all that.
Then the doctor comes in with his arms stretched all the way out and says to my wife, First of all, let me give you a big hug. I don't remember any of my doctors here hugging me. Then the doctor explains her treatment to us for an hour and twenty minutes, all the while joking and making my wife at ease. She was really happy when the doctor told her that she doesn't have any belly fat so he has to harvest the fat from her thighs. (They get the stem cells from your fat) He couldn't believe her age and told her she is in the best shape out of almost anybody he treats and that she must spend a lot of time in the gym. She has gone to the gym four times a week for forty years. He didn't mention anything about my thighs or me not having any belly fat or anything.
After the treatment they bring us back to the hotel and call us to see how she is feeling and if she would like another hug, or cookies.
It was the nicest visit to not only a doctor’s office, but to anything.
We got home late last night and I see I got three E mails from them thanking us and asking how my wife is.
That entire experience is so different from a doctor’s visit here in New York.
A visit to the doctor’s office here would go something like this.
First thing in the morning you would call the doctor’s office and get elevator music with a recording that says "Your call is important to us, stay on the phone and your call will be answered by the next available operator". You would get that message twelve or thirteen times with 20-30 minutes of elevator music in between. Then someone would answer and say
"Please Hold."
Now you hear the music again with that same message.
You are now eating dinner with the phone on speaker on the table right next to the bread and mashed potatoes.
The operator comes on and says "can I help you?" You finish chewing and say: Yes, I am trying to make an appoin......... "OK, I will connect you with the appointment desk." Click
You hear:
"Your call is important to us, stay on the line and a representative will get back to you"
Now dinner is over and you are sitting on the couch watching TV with the phone still on speaker. It's hard to concentrate on the TV with Beethoven’s sixth symphony playing through the phone.
"Hello, can I help you? "
Yes, I would like to make an appointment.
"Sorry, the office is now closed; please call back in the morning."
After a few days you get an appointment the week after Easter. It is now December.
You get to the office and park, in the next town because the lot is full and there are a pickup trucks and wheelbarrows in all the handicap parking spaces.
Finally you get into the office and get in line at the desk. You grab lunch.
"The doctor will see you now"
The nurse or the lady who washes the windows shows you to the little room where you get naked, put on a paper gown and wait.
You finish your lunch while you read, "Pregnancy Today or Golf Magazine". Two things you wanted to read but never had the time.
The nurse comes in and asks for three forms of identification with a picture ID and wants to know your medical insurance group number and if they are still in business and how you will pay if the insurance doesn't cover you and how much money do you make as well as what kind of car you drive and what sign are you.
The nurse then says, what’s your name? "Paul", "How do you spell that?" Like the Saint, "Which Saint, Peter?"
No, "P" as in pin head, "A" as in "Are you kidding me", "U" as in are "U" kidding me, and "L" as in "Let me know the college you graduated from".
The nurse leaves.
After you are finished with Golf Digest and have learned 14 ways to breast feed in a subway, the doctor comes in. He doesn't hug you or look at you but looks at your chart and says. I don't see anything blaring here maybe you should see a Podiatrist.
