I may have found a Doctor. After going to see 3 endocrinologists, and 2 CDE's (Certified Diabetes Educators), and one primary care doctor since moving to Boston, I may have found the one...... but I won't know until Nov. 3rd! And, that's Ok.....
I want to try to start this entry by giving credit. I will have had diabetes for 21 years this Thanksgiving. In that amount of time you meet a lot of doctors, CDE's, specialists, pharmacists, salesmen, etc. By far, hands down the best healthcare professional I have ever had the fortune to work with is Leigh MacHaffie. She works in Colorado at a small endocrine clinic that I had the fortune of being a patient. Leigh is largely responsible for me utilizing technology to take control of my diabetes. She was a motivator for me to take care of myself and never showed any doubt that I could tackle the bike riding I wanted to do. She took all the time that I needed to make sure I understood what was happening with my pump, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and more importantly the data that I was receiving from these tools. She even put me in touch with some semi-pro racers with Type 1 that could help me with specifics of long rides and such. After being in Boston for nearly a year, I am about ready to fly back to Colorado (with my bike) for appointments just so I can see Leigh again!
Instead of telling a bad story about the doctors I have seen since moving here, I just wanted to write a bit about who I may have found. I have already seen doctors at the Joslin Center for Diabetes, the worlds most renowned diabetes research and care center, which is here in Boston. After weeding out a few doctors and CDE's, I finally talked to someone yesterday that was pretty excited to hear about the things I was asking for. I am not in the market for the run of the mill appointment where they ask how things are, and then say "oh you took your A1C from 7.3% in March to 6.7% in June, your good". I want someone to really go over my data and my lifestyle to help me manage, someone who is excited a little!
Normally when you make an appointment a receptionist just tells you which doctor's and CDE's are taking new patients, and then they will schedule you. I called and asked if it was possible to talk to the doctors/CDE's before I made an appointment to see if they could help with my specifics. And they let me! I left a few voice-mails with CDE's and told them I was looking for someone to help me with specific things, and if they couldn't help, could they recommend someone who could. It took some time but I have an appointment with the Insulin Pump and CGM program's head CDE, and an exercise physiologist on Nov. 3rd! She sounded excited to talk to me and told me of other diabetic athletes that she works with.
Sometimes it's really hard to accept healthcare when you feel like you know more than the CDE your working with, or when the endocrinologist says that you do! Don't settle. I basically called and interviewed people to be my healthcare providers. I felt like I needed specific and more advanced care than an averagely educated diabetic, and after a few calls I hope I found it! It is going to be tough to get someone like Leigh MacHaffie, but I'll let you know after Nov. 3rd!
Instead of telling a bad story about the doctors I have seen since moving here, I just wanted to write a bit about who I may have found. I have already seen doctors at the Joslin Center for Diabetes, the worlds most renowned diabetes research and care center, which is here in Boston. After weeding out a few doctors and CDE's, I finally talked to someone yesterday that was pretty excited to hear about the things I was asking for. I am not in the market for the run of the mill appointment where they ask how things are, and then say "oh you took your A1C from 7.3% in March to 6.7% in June, your good". I want someone to really go over my data and my lifestyle to help me manage, someone who is excited a little!
Normally when you make an appointment a receptionist just tells you which doctor's and CDE's are taking new patients, and then they will schedule you. I called and asked if it was possible to talk to the doctors/CDE's before I made an appointment to see if they could help with my specifics. And they let me! I left a few voice-mails with CDE's and told them I was looking for someone to help me with specific things, and if they couldn't help, could they recommend someone who could. It took some time but I have an appointment with the Insulin Pump and CGM program's head CDE, and an exercise physiologist on Nov. 3rd! She sounded excited to talk to me and told me of other diabetic athletes that she works with.
Sometimes it's really hard to accept healthcare when you feel like you know more than the CDE your working with, or when the endocrinologist says that you do! Don't settle. I basically called and interviewed people to be my healthcare providers. I felt like I needed specific and more advanced care than an averagely educated diabetic, and after a few calls I hope I found it! It is going to be tough to get someone like Leigh MacHaffie, but I'll let you know after Nov. 3rd!
Just do what the PA tells you to do, and no one gets hurt.
ReplyDeleteI wish you were the PA at my Dr's office... I bet I could get bike ride RX's!
ReplyDelete