Things happen for a reason

My gynecologist is part of practice that has six doctors – four are women and two are men. I’ve always had a preference for women gynecologists, maybe because I feel they can relate more to what’s going on with me. The doctor I usually see, “Dr. Jones,” is on maternity leave. She had her baby a week or so after she did my pap smear on February 28th and won’t be returning until some time in July. When I got the call about my abnormal pap smear, the office told me I’d have to have an endometrial biopsy done, but I’d have to see a different doctor in the practice since mine was on maternity leave. I chose “Dr. Smith.”

I was a bit unsure about seeing a new doctor, but any concerns were relieved when I met Dr. Smith. She is an absolute sweetheart but most importantly, she is very thorough. The results from the endometrial biopsy were inconclusive so Dr. Smith scheduled me for a D&C Hysteroscopy, which I had done on May 3rd. I saw Dr. Smith again on May 11th to discuss the results of the D&C Hysteroscopy and that’s when she told me I needed to have the hysterectomy or I would develop cancer. She did the pre-op exam that day and we scheduled the surgery for May 26th.

Two things have stuck in my mind since I saw Dr. Smith on May 11th. First, when she came into the exam room the first thing she said is, “You’ve been on my mind a lot lately.” It made me feel really good that a doctor who is part of a very busy practice actually thought about me outside of the exam room setting. The second thing she said was, “I’m so glad I pursued this the way I did and didn’t take a wait-and-see attitude.” And here’s the catch, as much as I like my regular doctor, Dr. Jones, I have a very strong feeling that she would not have been as aggressive as Dr. Smith and probably would have taken and wait-and-see attitude. I say this because Dr. Jones typically has a laid back attitude about my complaints and about my concerns for the fibroids I have on my uterus. When I last saw her, she said the fibroids would shrink with menopause. Also, she was not overly concerned when I nearly jumped off the table when she did the internal exam.

I’ve always been a firm believer that things happen for a reason. My abnormal pap smear came at a time when I would end up having to switch doctors. From the time I was informed of the abnormal pap smear, I had a feeling the end result would be a hysterectomy. They say God works in mysterious ways and I thank Him for sending me to Dr. Smith. Her concern and persistence may very well have saved my life.

I agree that itt's important to feel as comfortable as possible with our drs. You seem to really trust your new one - that's great.

Best wishes, I hope all works out well for you.

S

I couldn't agree with you more that things happen for a reason. I had back surgery cancelled because of high blood pressure and was referred to a specialist physician who has taken the agressive "let's rule out as much as possible" routine and truly I could not be happier. I have a myriad of medical conditions which she has, with persistence, gotten under control.

This specialist has rung me regularly and I too know that I am not "just another patient". Gee, my local GP has never ever rung to make sure I was okay, so to have the specialist actually ring to check on me between visits reassures me there are doctors out there who actually care. And the times I have been hospitalised, she has sought me out and seen me herself every day (unheard of here to actually see your own specialist every day if ever when in hospital).

I am so glad you are happy with Dr Smith and I hope all goes well for your surgery and recovery.

Hugs and regards