Goodbye Local Specialist: Hello Cleveland Clinic

March 15, 2007
I've dismissed that awful doctor, canceled his appointment to do an endoscopy and am now a patient of the Cleveland Clinic. They already had me on file even including my teaching career (if you can call it that!). They must have a rule that a person accompanying a spouse to their facilities is a prime possibility for also becoming a patient in the future. Good old American hustling! First I talked to a practitioner who took down facts about my case and she was warm and sympathetic. I included the little anecdote concerning my Medina specialist and his unprofessional behavior and told her that at first I couldn't really believe what I'd heard. She said firmly, "Oh yes, he said it!" Went on to say that no doctors at the Clinic would ever say such a thing. If they did, they were outta there.

She told me to ask my family doctor to order up two CAT scans and an ultrasound at Medina Hospital, and that's what I'll be doing on Tuesday. My fam m.d.said today he'd call the clinic and try to get me earlier dates. He was shocked to hear of Dr. Bashour's outrageous remark. From now on he should refer only men to that man.

Paul's local lung man has confirmed a cancerous nodule in his lung. Very gruff about it and didn't tell him that surgery can do marvels these days. Paul came home looking very grave. "I have cancer," he said as he came through the door. Since then he's talked to his doctor at the Cleveland Clinic who was positive. "We'll snip that thing out and you should be fine," he said. Tests are scheduled for April 2 at the Clinic.

I'm now clear of the lung infection that plagued me for the last 12 days. It really laid me low. Awful congestion in lungs and nose.