big blow - my doctor is leaving....

I nearly had a coronary this afternoon when I saw my pcp for an appointment.  Okay, not a coronary, but I burst into tears.... My doctor, who is the hub of my care, is leaving at the beginning of May.  She's moving to another province.  This doctor is the best doctor I've ever had.  She has saved my life on numerous occassions.  She knows me so well, and knows what needs to be done for me.  I'm devestated.  I've been crying all afternoon. 

 

They do plan on hiring another doctor, but who knows what he/she will be like?  They won't know my complex history or the way my body works.  I feel like I've been kicked in the gut.  They don't know when the doctor will be hired either.  It has to be a very experienced doctor who can look after all of her patients.  She has a lot of chronically ill patients who will need a lot of extra care and attention.  This new doctor has HUGE shoes to fill.

 

I never thought I'd be facing this.  She's not old.  I thought I'd have her as my doctor for a very long time.  I guess I was naive.

 

One thing after another......Just needed to vent.  Thanks guys....

 

Ginny

Ginny...........

I am so, so sorry...

You have to be going through so many emotions right now.
Please, please, please take extra care of yourself to try to keep things in check.

Also sending tight hugs your way...

~Kim

Oh Ginny, I really feel for you - I'm so sorry you are losing such a wonderful doctor. I went through the same thing last spring with my pcp and I was just sick about it - she was exactly how you descrbed your pcp and she was the one who was really instrumental in helping me get a diagnosis. I pray the new doc will be great too - it's so hard to find docs like your pcp though - the ones who really care and see the big picture and know your case inside and out. If you don't care for the new doc do you have other options? I don't blame you for being so upset - a great doc is priceless, especially when you have multiple health issues. Hang in there and take extra good care of yourself. I'm sending you love, gentle hugs and prayers.

I know exactly how you feel -- I am still struggling to accept that my wonderful rheumy of 7 years (my entire lupus experiance) is gone. Esp. since he was the most concerned doctor - a genuinely caring and healing individual - that I have ever met. He met up with serious health issues of his own, and could no longer practice. I, too, expected him to be around until he cured me!!! This was in August, and I've had 2 visits w/another rheumy and ... well, I miss my doctor! Hang in there, and we'll all hope for the best for you and all of us going thru these frightening changes.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful support and encouragement.  I knew you guys would know what I was feeling.  So many of us have had to go through this sort of thing.

 

Yes, Canuckgirl, she's going to Ontario......NO comment. LOL.

 

I do have an option here.  Actually, it's a bit of an answer to prayer for so many people in Calgary. There is a brand spankin' new clinic opening up. It's going to cater to chronically ill patients ONLY!  No healthy people who only see their doc once a year for a pap smear....:)

 

This clinic is designed specifically for ME!!!  I'm really quite amazed that it just came up on the news a couple of days ago.  The only thing is that it's clear on the other side of the city.  It's an hour's drive away, on a good day, from where I live.  I already drive myself into a stooper with all my doctor appointments.  Soooooo, hubby and I are going to move to that end of the city.  All my doctors are there anyway.  So is the hospital that has all my records.  I'm so sick and tired of all the driving I'm doing.  Especially with 15 appointments a month!  It's stupid.  So moving is a good idea. 

 

Here's a terrible factoid about Calgary.... There are 200,000 people looking for a family doctor!  That's how the shortage is here for family docs.  Isn't that awful.....

 

So I"m feeling a little more encouraged tonight. Just knowing that I will eventually have a clinic all set up with all the specialists right there!  They'll know exactly what I need and be able to offer me additional services I don't get now.  God is looking after me!  I'm calling the clinic tomorrow to get an appointment. 

 

Ginny

How amazing! I'm so glad you get a chronic illness clinic - that sounds like a real treat. And the timing is pretty neat, huh? I know moving is no fun, but accessible health care is a big deal when we're too sick to travel often, isn't it? Take the move easy and gentle! Hugs,

Rosie, the move won't affect my business at all.  In fact, now this is funny, most of my wedding clients for this year are in this quadrant of the city I'm moving to!  They'll be thrilled because they might not have to drive from here to eternity to get their pictures!  I currently live in the extreme south east end of the city, and we need to move the extreme north west end.  So it's a big move.  It will be about the same distance for hubby to get to work.  He works downtown, so the commute on the train is about the same.

 

Lynnwood, I totally agree with you!  It is soooo important to our mental and physical well being to be close to our doctors.  It's not always possible, but if you can make it work like that, it's wonderful.  I'm absolutely DONE with the excessive distances I'm doing all the time.  We'll take the move real slow and gentle, and during my less busy time of year for sure!  Thanks for the hugs.  I need them!

 

Carol, hahaha, I know God won't throw me to the wolves.  That's funny though.  Sometimes I wonder if I'm already their play toy, LOL.  I'm still feeling the shock of finding out that she's leaving.  I have had her for my pcp for 7 years now.  Almost the entire time of my diagnosis. 

 

 

So here's the scoop on that new chronic illness clinic.  I MUST have a north west address to be a patient.  They only cater to the north west part of the city.  (Calgary is divided into quadrants). So I will need to have an actual address before they accept me.  The other clincher is that if there is a replacement doctor at my current clinic, I have to stay with them.  No matter how much I don't want to.  This new clinic will only take people who have no other options.  I'm hooped.  There will be a replacement doctor at my current clinic.  Just don't know who they are yet.  So the move to that end of the city is still planned.  Regardless of the clinic location, everyone is in that northwest part of the city anyway.  So the move will be handy no matter what.  PLUS, with the sale of our home, we can take a chunk of the profit and pay off all out debt!!!  We'll be debt free!  We'll still have a huge downpayment for the next home too.  It's an excellent plan.  I wish we were more excited about it.  We built this home and it's our baby.  We've only been in it for 2 years.  So this is all bitter sweet right now.  I'm getting on the internet to look at houses this afternoon.

 

Ginny

Ginny,

We can all feel for you whether or not we have had to go through a change in our doctors or not. As has been said, this will work out as it should. It may not be the way WE think it should, but we will adjust to situations as we should if we look for help in the "right" places.

xoxo emmie

GIN! GIRL... I am so sorry....I dont even know what to say..Actually u know I cant say crap. NOthing I say will make you feel better hon... I have been there and It feels so horrible.. So Violating.. and I felt so vulverable.. This is the truth. I am not sugar coating crap Gin... I did not read the other ladys posts.. Just speaking from e xperienece.. BUt guess what girl.... Some times CHANGE IS GOOD FOR YOU! GIN you never know.. OFCOURSE THE NEW PERSON is gonna read your file from back to front.. They will take care of you... I have faith.. You are gonna be ok hon...
PLEASE let me know how things go for you .. please??

Steph