Surgery

Jeffrey is scheduled for another surgery. This will make number two for him. Our other kids (not including Emmett) had each had a surgery by this point in time, but for getting tubes in their ears. Jeffrey decides to be more interesting and have odd cysts form.

The first surgery was on his eyebrow about a year ago. Everyone started asking me if he had a black eye, and that was when I realized there really was a cyst there. He has deep set eyes anyway, but the cyst really made it look like he had run into something or someone had hit him.

He was young, but the cyst had gotten bigger, and you don't want that to affect their eyesight, so that was one big reason why we had it removed.

Then, about a month ago, he had a cold virus. He was really sick, complaining about his tummy, and that had me worried, because he was also throwing up for more than a day, and lethargic. The pediatrician was concerned about him as well, and even had me watching for certain things to rule out appendicitis. (Our family has a tendency to get appendicitis, especially juvenile.) Thankfully, it wasn't appendicitis.

Anyway, when I took Emmett for his 15 month checkup it happened to be the day after all of that, and the pediatrician wanted me to bring him in for a follow up since I was coming in anyway. Jeffrey was feeling much better, but still not 100%. That is one thing about kids with lots of energy, you ALWAYS know when they don't feel well, because they stop moving!

While we were there, Jeffrey was being silly and sitting on the floor and he stretched his neck. That is when I really noticed a lump in the hollow of his neck (or sternal notch, if you want to get technical). The pediatrician felt it, and said to watch it for a week, and if it was still there after a week, he wanted to see him again, because if it was still there, he would need to be seen by a general surgeon.

It was still there, so off to the general surgeon we went. The general surgeon told us that normally, on an adult he would biopsy it and see if it was something to be worried about, but on a child as young as Jeffrey, it's safer to just remove it surgically. (I agreed with him 100%). He told us he felt that it was something that should be removed, because of the location and size. At this point in time, they suspect that it is a lymph node, but they won't really know until it is removed and tested. Because they suspect it is a lymph node, that is another reason they feel it should be removed, because there is the possibility of it getting larger and obstructing his airway if he ever got sick and the lymph node became inflamed.

I did ask the doctor if it was possible that Jeffrey is prone to getting these types of cysts. He told me that considering his history, it is possible. So, it could be a lymph node, but it could be a cyst. The same type of cyst that he had before, but in a different location.

Never a dull moment in our home!

Another thing to think about....

I feel like all things medical have come to a head this year. Well, I guess this has just been the year for them to become a real thing to worry about. Of course, I tend to have medical things every year. Hmmm.... I was hoping this year would be different, but it's not heading out that way.

So, back when Hazel was a littlie, she didn't want to walk. In fact, she didn't show any desire or inclination until she was about 16 months old. I remember specifically talking to the pediatrician about it, but at that point in time they weren't too concerned about it.

Shortly after that conversation, she started walking. It was always somewhat of a struggle though. Then, unlike most little kids that go quickly from walking to running, she never really did. I remember watching her and wondering about it, but then just figured it might be something she would grow out of. Still, walking and running have always been something that have been hard for her.

Well, now she's 10. She still has an interesting gait to her walk, and her run is...unique to say the least. These in an of themselves aren't the concern, its HOW she walks, and HOW she runs. I can't describe it...but I'll try... imagine trying to run without using your hips. You stiffen your hip joint and use the rest of your leg. For those in dance, color guard, etc...it is described as a jazz run. That is what she does.

So, she has an appointment with the pediatrician to get a referral to a specialist, so we can see if there is something wrong, preventing her from using her entire leg the way she should, or it it's just the way she is.

Worst case scenario, it will be something she has to have surgery to fix...best case scenario, it will be nothing but the worry of an overattentive mother. :)

Feeling Relief

I had my doctor visit with the surgeon today. I think it went well. After discussing what was going on and then having another exam, he really felt like for the time being, things were ok and I don't have cancer. That is a relief.

So, I am supposed to watch it. Do an exam each month, and note if there are any changes or not. Keep a record of it. Changes include: pain, skin change (color, texture, etc...), discharge that is a color other than white, if the mass gets larger, or becomes hard.

The hope is that it will go down, get smaller, and disappear. Because of it's size and shape, the doctor felt that it was a milk duct that hasn't gone down because it's plugged/blocked. If that's the case, eventually the milk in it should reabsorb.

However, that being said, if it changes in the opposite way, I need to go back and see him again. He really doesn't think that will happen, but you never know. The symptoms that I have right now, he really didn't feel like warranted having an MRI done, but if I had really pushed for it, he would have scheduled one. (Pushed as in....just asking and saying  I would like one scheduled.) He really didn't feel like it was necessary though. So, I decided it wasn't necessary.

The reasons I decided it wasn't necessary....of course a big one was because the surgeon didn't think it was necessary. He has a lot more experience with this than me. He has seen a lot more unusual things then I can even possibly imagine, and he did part of his training at a breast cancer center.

Here are my other reasons:
1. It's shape
2. It's mobile (which is a big sign that it's not cancerous)
3. The skin
4. It's location
5. No pain
6. It can't be seen on ultrasound. (I know that some breast cancers can't be seen via ultrasound, but they usually have other characteristics that I don't have, so that's encouraging.)

Because he felt it involved a milk duct, he really didn't want to do a needle biopsy. He felt the risk for it causing a fistula was higher than the risk of it being done and showing something abnormal. So, I was spared that.

If I still have it in six months, I'm supposed to have another ultrasound done, and be evaluated again.

So, I admit, it is a tentative relief, but it is a relief still the same.

Still In The Woods...For The Moment

Yesterday I got a phone call from my gyn's office. They left a  message that went something like this: "Hi, we were just wondering how your appointment with the surgeon went, and what he thought." Not, "Hi, please call us so we can give you the results of your ultrasound..." or some other message.

So, I called them back. I asked them what the radiologist thought from the ultrasound.

Nothing.

Everything looked normal on the ultrasound.

I should have felt enormous relief, like a huge weight had been lifted...but I didn't. I felt ill at ease, like something was wrong. Like something was missed.

So, me being the curious person I am, I did a little more research. (In addition to what I have already done.) What I found wasn't overly comforting. Mainly because, there is something going on. Is is something to be worried about? I don't know. I don't know why the ultrasound didn't detect anything.

What I found out? It could still be something. It could still be something big and bad, or it could be just nothing to worry about.

For a little while I was wondering if I should cancel my appointment with the surgeon, but then decided that it would be good to get a second opinion from someone who deals with these issues all the time. Once I firmly decided that, I felt peace. I felt a huge relief, and I felt that weight lift. So, to me, that means that that is the next step and what needs to happen.

My appointment with them is on Monday. I'll keep you posted.

A Partial History

Back in January I got a recorded message from my GYN's office saying that I needed to schedule an appointment for my annual exam. I remember thinking it was weird because it hadn't been a year. Still, a few weeks later I called, and made an appointment with the PA since they could see me a lot sooner than my doctor since I wasn't pregnant, or have some life concern.

Well, when I went to my appointment and they did the breast exam they found a spot of dense tissue. They weren't too concerned because I had only recently stopped breastfeeding a month before, but they did tell me that if it didn't go away, or it changed, that I needed to be be seen again.

I kind of put it out of my mind then until Sunday. Sunday I did an exam and still felt the odd dense area and felt like it had changed a little, so on Monday I made an appointment with my GYN. For something like this they got me an appointment for today. (My doctor only has clinic days on Monday and Wednesday.)

Well, today I had my appointment. My doctor confirmed that yes, there is something unusual there, and for lack of a better word, it is described as a mass.

Monday I get to have an ultrasound to see if they can see more specifically what is going on. It might just be a spot of unusual tissue but nothing to worry about...of course, it might not.

Then, the following Monday I have an appointment with one of the doctors I used to work with. He's done surgery on me before, and this is definitely his scope of practice, so anyway...the appointment is a consult, that could possibly turn into a surgical consult, depending on what is or isn't seen on the ultrasound.

Shane gave me a blessing on Sunday. I was told to be calm and at peace. I was told that the Lord was aware of me and my situation, and that we are given experiences in this life to help us learn. Initially in my mind I thought, that doesn't give me peace! I want this problem to be gone now! :)

Still...I have trust in the Lord. I know that if I am supposed to experience this on all levels, then that is what will happen, if that is what needs to happen in order for me to learn what I need to. So, right now it is kind of weird. I feel calm, but it is like a calm that has a roiling undertow underneath it. As long as I have faith and trust in the Lord, I feel peace, but at the same time I feel an undercurrent of fear that could take over as soon as I stop trusting, as soon as I begin to doubt.

Right now, of course there is the unknown. I will know a lot more in two weeks. It may be a lot more than I want to know, and at the same time, it may be welcome news and a relief.

My advice for the day? Make sure you stay current on your yearly physicals. Who knows how long this would have been undetected if I hadn't made that appointment. With something like this, you never know if it's nothing, until it's been evaluated. The hard thing to know, is that it could always be something. It's one of those times where they tell you to ALWAYS get it checked out. It might just be a cyst, but it might not. It might just be some weird growth, or it might not. You just don't know.

The Conundrums of Medicine

I always think it is interesting the different views people have on things...take for example, doctors and hospitals. Even people that work at hospitals often don't understand how the money flows and is billed. I know I certainly don't, but here is what I DO know...

Where I live, (this may not be the same for other areas), the hospitals are all non-profit. People may not believe this because of the bills they get, but really, they are not making a profit at what goes on in the hospital.

If you get severely sick and have to go to the hospital, they are required by law to treat you whether you have insurance, money, or not. Even if you're not severely sick they are required to treat you. If you don't know how you are going to pay the bill...ASK SOMEONE TO HELP YOU. Don't just NOT pay the bill. Before you even leave the hospital, you can talk to a social worker, but don't just ask for a handout. Tell them what you can pay per month, and 9 times out of 10 they will work with you.

I had a friend tell me that was a lie because they wouldn't work with her, and honestly, I don't know what the situation was, but if you are willing to work with them, they are typically willing to work with you because you are willing to work with them!

While I have had MANY instances in my life where this has been the case, here is an example of my husband's coworker, whose husband got diagnosed with leukemia. She didn't know how she was going to pay the medical bill. My husband told her to call the number on her bill, and tell them that she could pay X amount of dollars per month. So, she did, not really believing my husband, but willing to give it a try. The next night she told him, "They were more than willing to work with me on it!" She was relieved and happy.

Anyway, on to the point of this entry...really...

It irritates me when people just assume that all doctors are rich lazy bums that just live in their nice big houses and go on amazing vacations. While there are some parts of medicine that can bring you this lifestyle, there are others, many others, that don't. I helped with many surgeries where the doctor/surgeon knew they basically weren't going to get paid a nickel for the work they were doing because the patient was on welfare. It happened a lot.

I worked with a surgeon who worked where we lived and flew to San Diego on the weekends because he liked working with doctors who were in it for the patients and not the money they could get, but his wife lived in San Diego. (true story)

I know my nephew probably thought it was funny, but he posted a cartoon that stated what other professions would be like, if they were artists. Well, I felt like the one about surgeons, was wrong, or actually, pretty accurate. There are many times when they don't know if they'll get paid for doing the surgery they are doing. They can just hope they get the money they are supposed to from the insurance company, or from medicaid.

People will spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on tattoos, cell phones, and cable, but they can't afford a medical payment?

Now, don't get me wrong, I know that doctors do get a pretty nice paycheck, but most of them work very hard for that paycheck. It's not an easy job by any mean. Depending on the area of medicine they work in, they can be gone 80+ hours a week. INSANE. Add to that, that these days a new doctor has a nice big student loan payment to pay off as well. It will be years before they get that nice BIG house and vacations all over the world.

A part of me wonders why I defend them really, since a lot of them can be a pain to work with. There are some that aren't though, and they are really good people.

I asked my chiropractor how he felt about all the money that went through his office, and he told me that he felt like a bank. All the money that goes through, and only a small portion of it even goes to him and his workers. I know that for most doctors, it's very similar.

So, if you want to know the areas of medicine that probably get the most bang for their buck.... anesthesiologists and radiologists. It's just my opinion of course... :)

In which, the power was almost turned off...but not quite...

I thought my title was pretty creative. :) Anyway, my shoulder has been bugging me for a few weeks. I knew when it had slipped out of place, and I knew at that moment that I should go immediately to the chiropractor and have them adjust it back into place...but our medical card was out of money, and we were pretty much out of money. As the weeks rolled by my shoulder kept aching, and I kept thinking that I really needed to go in, and that the longer I waited, the more close visits I would have to have to get my shoulder back to where it was supposed to be.

Here's why I was wishing I could just go in... I knew that the longer I left it, the longer my muscles would be contorted in the wrong position, until after a while they would think that was the position they were supposed to be in. I would still be in pain, and then if I got it adjusted, the muscles would pull it back out of alignment because they take a while to change.

So, a couple more weeks went by, and I finally went in and got it adjusted on Thursday. Of course, by Sunday it was very painful again, and so I went back in today. I think I should just blame all my orneriness on my throbbing shoulder... ;) It takes all my effort to have a good attitude and be nice!

While I was waiting, a city worker came by, and apparently the people who rent the whole building, hadn't paid their electrical bill, and the electricity was going to be shut off. This was, of course, frustrating to my chiropractor because there was nothing he could do about it. He rents his office from a person who rents a suite of rooms, from the person who rents the building. So, he quickly but thoroughly adjusted the person before me, and then me and I was the last appointment for the morning.

Apparently it was a misunderstanding though, because the power didn't get shut off. At least not while I was there!

Bump bump bump....

Back at the end of March Jeffrey ended up getting hurt and cutting his lip open. When I say open, I mean OPEN. We took him to the E.R. and they called in a plastic surgeon to sew it up because it was big. The surgeon put in three deep stitches and then ten outside stitches. That's a lot on a little boy. It healed up really nicely though and most people can't tell there is even a scar there.

As the weeks have progressed the scar has gotten a little bigger. Not big enough to be super concerned, at least  not to me, but anyway...

Jeffrey also has a bump on his right upper eyebrow. I didn't think anything of it at first, but it kept getting bigger, and then I had people asking me what he had done to his eye. It did kind of look like he had ran into something and then when we felt it you could feel a nodule under the skin.

The pediatrician agreed it was something that needed to be looked at and possibly removed. So, when we went to Jeffrey's follow up appointment today with the plastic surgeon, he got an appointment for surgery next week! I didn't think it would happen that fast, but I guess it doesn't matter how fast it gets done right?

So, after we got the paperwork we came home and I went to the hospital to register the surgery. Since he is going to be under anesthesia the plastic surgeon is going to inject his Jeffrey's lip too, to help break up the scar tissue.

I have always been amazed at what plastic surgeons are capable of doing. I'm not talking about the vanity plastic surgeries. I am talking about the reconstructive surgeries. It is really neat when you see all that they do.

I'm not looking forward to dealing with Jeffrey after the surgery, because I am sure the anesthesia will make him act wonky, but it is what it is. If we waited to have the bump removed, it could continue to get bigger and affect his eyesight in that eye, and it would be a little more difficult to remove. Plus, they want to double check and make sure that it's just a lipoma, and not anything they should be worried about like cancer. They really don't think it's cancerous, but it's just one of those things that you never know.

So anyway, exciting times!

Checkups and checking in

Emmett and Jeffrey both had doctor checkups today. Jeffrey only had to get one shot, and now he is good until kindergarten, YAY!! Emmett had to have his second PKU test done, which I thought he handled pretty well, all things considered.

Both boys are doing great. Growth and weight gain, great! Then the doctor looked at Shane and me and asked how I was doing. Any blues or depression? Shane nodded his head. (He was right though, so probably good that he did...) Still, on an intensity scale, this time is definitely the least compared to my other kids.

The doctor felt that it definitely could have been triggered by Shane going back to work, since that meant that my adult help was gone. And also because I was perfectly content and happy until he went back to work.

So, with a firm, watch this and if it gets worse or doesn't decrease next week you need to see your OB, we are waiting to see how I do, and I am hopeful that things will improve.

Today wasn't as bad as yesterday though, but again, Shane didn't have to work tonight because it's his Saturday, so we will see how next week goes.

On a positive note though, I have gone two days without getting angry and yelling at the kids. SWEET!! Shane asked me if I felt like I had pent up emotion because of this, and I told him no, because I mentally talked myself through it, and also, realized the real reasons I was getting angry and yelling.

I also have a good mental image of why I want to be yell free, even more. I started thinking of when I was in the operating room, and the doctors I enjoyed working with, and the doctors I didn't. I also thought about their personalities and why they were enjoyable to work with, and today as I pondered it, I would think, "I want to be like dr so and so, NOT the other dr." It actually helped quite a bit. It also helped me have more patience and repeat myself over and over and over, without getting frustrated or angry, and it helped me talk to my kids instead of just getting upset.

All good things. :)

Update

So, on Monday I went to my doctor appointment. I told him about the heart rate thing, and also about the ultrasound.

Because I work in the operating room, he told me that before he completely had me stop working he would like me to try wearing compression socks and drinking as much water as I could in between cases.

I figured it was worth a shot and better than having to go on a super early maternity leave. Plus it made sense that my heart would be working harder if I was dehydrated.

Since Tuesday was my day off, I gave it a shot on Wednesday. Well...that didn't go so well. I wore my compression socks, which are actually quite comfortable even though they aren't that attractive, and since I was floating (basically helping out where needed) it gave me the perfect chance to stay fully hydrated. By 9:30 I had already drank about 30 oz of water. I know that sounds like a lot in a short time but I had been up since 5:30.

Well, things were busy, and I was was busy, but not rushing around the way I normally would because I was trying to keep my heart rate down. It was still at 122. If I had been rushing around I can imagine that it would have been in the 130's or even 140's.

So, I called my doctor's office and told them what was going on. They told me that he recommended that I go home, but if I felt comfortable staying I could as long as I checked my heart rate twice an hour and it DIDN'T go into the 130-140 range. (The only reason I was able to even try and do that was because I was floating. If I had been in a room, it wouldn't really have been possible.)

They also told me that if I wanted to be given a work release from work that he would be willing to do that too, since it wasn't worth the risk to me or the baby, but it was up to me.

So, I decided to try and stay til lunch, after talking to my manager. I almost made it, but by 11:00 I could tell that my body was begging me to lay down. This is usually manifested by my uterus contracting and sometimes being painful. I know. Not good things really.

I also called my doctor's office again and let them know, so I faxed them the paperwork that they needed to fill out.

It's weird for me, because technically I am not on bed rest, there is just no way I can adequately do my job without a lot of consideration, and it's not really fair for anyone at work if I am there and can't really do much.

So, I am just trying to take it easy, and if I feel like I need to rest, I do. I still can't do much, because if I do my heart rate shoots up, but at least I have the option of slowing down to a pace I CAN do things at...like fold laundry. ;)

Tired

What a wild and crazy week this week has been! At work, previously, they were starting to try and not have me come in as much so we could all get used to me being PRN. It was nice, and I was able to rest a lot.

Well, this week, one coworker tech had a family situation (very sad one), and another coworker tech had scheduled vacation time, topped with a very busy surgical schedule...so I worked every day this week.

This was also the week that I was supposed to be on call for the weekend.

Well, my body let me know that it had had it. This afternoon I felt like my heart was racing a little so I checked my pulse on one of the machines and it was pretty high. I told my coworker that also works as an EMT and he was more than concerned for my welfare, and encouraged me to go tell the manager...which I did, and both she, the anesthesiologist and the charge nurse felt like I should go get checked in labor and delivery and just see if my heart rate went down when I laid down, and make sure that the baby was doing okay.

I don't have a problem doing a little more than I should when it comes to prenatal care. If the nurses in labor and delivery get sick of me, then oh well. I don't think they would though. I know that majority of people working in labor and delivery would much rather deal with overprotective patients, then the patients that wait too long and end up with a very sad situation to deal with.

So, anyway, I went and got checked, and everything was fine, and my heart rate was decent. Still, everyone felt like I needed to go home and rest, (which was fine with me, and I agreed with them) and so, one coworker offered to take call for this afternoon until midnight, and the other coworker offered to take call from Saturday morning until Monday, so I can rest and be ready for Monday when we have another big day. I thought it was really nice of them to be willing to cover for me, so now I just have to take call from midnight until 9 AM.

So, it's back to bed for me. I hope the rest will help! :) I will definitely have things to discuss with my doctor at my appointment Monday afternoon though, that's for sure...

So Wonderful

I had a doctor appointment yesterday. I was glad that I did for two reasons. The first of course, because it is always good to have a checkup to see how the baby is doing, and the second, because I developed a nasty cold with a fever over the past few days, and I've had some migraines the past couple weeks, so it was good to talk to the doctor about that and know what was "okay" to take and things...

Anyway, since the ultrasound was kind of fuzzy last time, they did another one today, and we saw the baby MOVE! It was so neat and just made me smile. Shane went with me and I looked over at him and he had the cutest happiest look on his face. :)

So, we are sticking with the Sept. 1st due date, and I am almost 15 weeks along. I keep forgetting, and so I started writing it down so I wouldn't forget anymore. (The "how many weeks" thing, because people keep asking me.)

After the ultrasound Dr. Arrington (who is one of the happiest doctors I've ever been to), said to us, "Did I tell you how HAPPY I am that you were able to get pregnant?"

I guess after my surgery he really had his doubts as to whether we would be able to have any more kids (which I already knew), just because of the level of endometriosis that I have. The thing I like about him is that he is able to tell you bad news without making you feel like there is no hope. I remember when he talked to me about the surgery and I didn't feel bad, I was just content with an explanation, and didn't really have any expectations beyond that.

So, this is definitely a miracle baby, and so far it wants to stay here and be with us! Hopefully it will continue. Hazel is SO excited about the baby. She posts every ultrasound picture I get on the fridge and then both the kids usually ask, "do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

Not that I'm not already excited, but to have the rest of my family so excited just makes me happy.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good:

Well, I had my follow-up doctor appointment today, and I learned a lot. First, I relearned and affirmed, that my doctor is amazing. He is very knowledgeable and I asked him a LOT of questions today.

We went over my surgey pictures, and I learned that I am very very blessed to have the two kids that I do. Also that I am very blessed to not have had a lot of pain with endometriosis. There is a possibility that we may have more kids...but it's just a possibility. The scars from the surgery are healing up nicely, in fact, the belly button incision you can't even see anymore! I thought that was pretty cool.

The Bad:
The endometriosis that I have was NOT caused by my c-sections. I have a LOT of endometriosis. A LOT. He told me that normally he is more agressive in getting rid of the endometrial tissue but because we want to have more kids, he put preserving my ability to get pregnant as a top priority. He did tell me that eventually it will need to be taken care of, but unless I get more pain, or horrible bleeding, that we should be able to wait until we are ready to have it done.

The UGLY:

There are some bad patches of endometrial tissue. The fallopian tubes and ovaries are badly affected. The fallopian tubes are clear, but the endometriosis appears to go through the outer wall of the fallopian tube. Same with the ovaries. So, eventually I will need to have it all taken out. When that happens the areas of endometriosis next to the fallopian tubes and ovaries need to be taken care of too.

I told my doctor that while it would be wonderful to find out I was pregnant, I am at peace with the fact that it may never happen. Yes, I still have my up and down days. Yes there are times when I wonder why. More often though, I find myself content with the fact that I have tried, had the desire, and pretty much that is all I can do. More and more often lately I find myself wondering if we really do want to have more kids. ; ) I find that "want" doesn't really adequately describe my emotion. I really do feel like it would be a blessing if we were able to have more, but also realize that we have been richly blessed to have the two that we do.

New Doc

So, Monday I had an appointment with a different OB/GYN than I have been going to for the past...4 years? It was time. It was getting to where I didn't really trust anything my doc told me, and didn't want to do anything he told me. So, really, if you can't trust your doctor, you should go to a different one, right?

I was impressed. We discussed my PCOS. He went over my history and told me some things that while I had an idea about, hadn't been gone over very thoroughly before. He wants me to get my blood tested to see if I'm insulin resistant (to see if I even NEED to be on glucophage). Wonderful idea right?

This guy is definitely on the ball. He is the type of doctor that when you read those articles on the internet "things your doctor should be asking you" well, he asked all of them.

I had already decided that I wanted to have one of my larger fibroids surgically removed (the pedunculated cyst) which he agreed should be minimally invasive and have a fairly short recovery time, and he was more than willing to agree to that. There was no pressure. There wasn't a...well, do you want surgery or not feeling, it was all my decision.

All he asked me was, "So, do you have any questions?"

He is definitely a sit down and talk it out doctor. He sat and talked to me about all the medical things going on in my body for about 20-30 minutes, and I did not feel rushed or feel like he was itching to leave. It was very good.

The only downside was the wait time to get into the office. I was there early like they told me to be, and I waited about an hour before I saw the doctor. Granted, it was a first visit so that probably had something to do with it.

I can put up with that in order to go to a great doctor. :)

Second opinion...

So, I am going to get a second opinion from another OB/GYN. I went to my yearly exam, and my doc and I had a LONG conversation. I don't know that I really liked how it went.

There are things that I don't really like about my current doctor. I still go to him because he IS a nice doctor and has good bedside manner, but...there are things that I don't like that I can't write about on here.

So, here are the things I look for in a doctor:

They listen when I talk to them.
They are smart and well-versed in their area of expertise, but they admit when they don't know it all.
They are good surgeons(if that is what their area involves). (This is key. You can have a nice doc who isn't a good surgeon.)
They know different options, techniques, and have ideas for things you can try to achieve what you want with your health, or in my case, fertility issues.

So, anyone have a doc that they really like? Why do you like them? I have an idea of who I am going to get an appointment with, but still...I will take any feedback I can.