Ok, I am in my 70's so any doctor/dentist I have had, I had for decades. Now I am seeing them start to retire. My dentist I had since 1974 and he made me not feel terrified of sitting in the dentist chair. Couple years ago my dermatologist retired, she was so delightful and easy to talk to.
This week got a letter from my primary doctor, she is moving away.... oh no !! Even the cat's vet moved away. My cardiologist is a senior, love her style of medicine, so I hope she continues to be available.
It is just so hard to "train" a new doctor.
Thanks to him (he is with a teaching hospital) I do have a retinue of doctors (cardiologists, dermatologist, neurologists, etc.) who trained with him and who should outlive me. When I meet a new doctor and mention his name, they all are a little surprised that he is still practicing and then they launch into stories of training with him. Their manner kind of changes and I know I'm already one of their special patients.
You sound healthy overall, and it is perfectly okay to not need a relationship with a doctor.
That reminds me...the doctor who spent hours of his time with me (even though paid) and walked me through a most difficult time in my life for 5 years, has an April birthday. I will send him a card this year.
When I was a child I had 2 doctors that took turns seeing patients. I think they were pushing 80 years old, lol.
Now I have a new doctor, I like her too... I think she is my same age and we once shared our problems concerning aging parents and teenagers sons...
I love my dentist because he doesn’t hurt my teeth, I love my vet because he doesn’t hurt my wallet, I love my obgyn because his office is a one quarter mile from my house.
I loved my primary care doctor that had recently passed away because when I was having problems with my younger son who was a teen in 2009 and I was crying in his office, he turned out the light (so the nurse couldn’t interrupt him) and wheeled his chair in front of me where I was sitting on the table. He proceeded to tell me that a couple years back his son who was 23 committed suicide. He was bipolar. The doctor went on to tell me that he tried different facilities for his son, also sent him to a facility involuntarily. He told me he did everything he could for him. He had no regrets. So he had shared a gut wrenching story with me. I was happy that he did.
Now my eye doctor, well I go to him because he is drop dead gorgeous, lol.
Some doctors are distant with patients and that is sad.
He got fed up with medicine and sent out letters saying that he was perusing other interests. He was in his late 40’s or so.
Later on, I ran into him when I took my daughter to fly a kite on the lakefront. He was there with his kid flying a kite.
We started talking. He looked really content in his life. I asked him what he had been up to lately.
He said that he was now a Yoga instructor and had written a book on meditation and yoga!
I was shocked! He was a Tulane University graduate. It’s a wonderful private university here in New Orleans. My husband went there.
Hey, he was happy. That counts for something, right?
I did miss him though.
I have generally had good doctors. I love the doctor that I have now. She’s wonderful!
Before my mother's much loved GP retired he first tried to go part-time, as a compromise and a concession to his advancing years. Not sure how long it took him and the practice team to realise that his part-time hours were expanding daily and as long as the patients knew he was there he was not going to get away from the office, ever.
I do think - seriously - that more thought and time should be given to succession planning. The transfers would be less traumatic for the patients and less discouraging for the whipper-snappers if the newcomers were settled in by the people they're succeeding.
One top notch ortho doctor is now affiliated with a different, much smaller and more personal hospital. The Women's Clinic at the hospital had good female doctors, and before the takeover used to host an annual, free, excellent seminar on female health and related issues. It was an event of about 5- 6 hours, with lectures, breakfast and lunch, and handouts. Now the women are gone and 2 men run the Women's Clinic.
I asked the staff at my ophthalmologist's office to recommend someone. They know the good doctors. But I didn't ask the nonmedical staff; I asked the pros.
I still haven't gone to any of the recommended doctors though, as the bigger problems I've had have been with cheaply made designer glasses, and I can't afford another pair right now. I can tell if my eyes are changing, though.
He was only retired a year when he was out kayaking by himself and died of a heart attack. He was 66 years old. He had an undisclosed heart condition. So sad. But he died doing what he loved doing.
My vet for my cats is the best. He is around. 65 years old. I don’t know who I will take the cats to when he retires.
My dentist I have been going to since my youngest was 6 years old. He is now 28. He too is around 65 years old and I don’t know who I will find when he retires.
My Gynecologist has an office literally right down the road from me. I have been going to him since we moved into our house in 1999. He is 2 years younger than me so it will be a few years before he retires.
I had the opposite experience. I found a better doctor when my old one retired!
Good luck finding good doctors.
He retired (early due to Covid).
So I went to a Big Glasses chain type place.. 😫
I was sat on the plastic waiting chair, then directed into a cupboard room with a young robo woman for eye exam, then the plastic chair, then another cupboard with a young robo man for different exam, then the chair. Then the sales pretty descends to show me the designer range. I ask to pay & leave. "But madam, you have not chosen your new glasses, new secondary pair, or new sunglasses yet!" You are correct, I said (insert fake smile). I explained the card she was handed had the SAME strength lenses - I did not need new ones. "Oh but you may like to update & purchase new ones, let me show you..." No thanks. Then, we need your mobile phone number. Hmm Ok... We need your email. No thanks. We will put you on a mailing list. No. We will give reminder calls to come in again soon. No no nooooo.
Rant over. I am seriously depressed thinking of replacing my Doctor or Dentist!