Aggghhh! My rheumatologist told me yesterday that he's leaving the practice. He is staying with the same teaching hospital but will be working on a new collaborative program with another hospital.
I thought I would break down into a ball of tears because he fixed me. He's the only who really took the time to review my records and figure out what was wrong with me. As I told him, he gave me my life back.
That said he has a tremendous opportunity and he's relatively young so I can't blame him. He has passed me on to another doc in the practice, here's hoping she's as understanding and supportive.
There's lots of other change in our lives right now so I'm pretty stressed, trying hard to deep breathe and take it in stride. Sigh
Rheumatologists are paid very poorly, for example by Medicare.
I have seen a bill for an office visit for $150 reduced by Medicare (with Supplemental) reduced to $65.
My gardener is paid more. Good Rheumatologists are now becoming increasingly hard to find.
Thanks for that info. I think he is particularly attracted by the new role and building a program. I did say to him that I know that rheumy's are in high demand but short supply.
I know the feeling cause my immunologist is semi retiring and has turned me over to another doc. Life is nothing but changes. I have no magic words to ease the pain. We all have to suck it up as they say.
The good thing is I bet your old rheumy has filled the new one in on your status so it shouldn't be a huge surprise for him. Good luck. Irish
irish, yes, life is indeed full of change. Right now there are too many though most are good so I count my blessings. And among those blessings is that there is a new rheumy who will be waiting for me, I look forward to meeting her in six months.
Sorry your rheumy is leaving...... It sounds like you really had a lot of faith in this doctor and it's hard to lose that kind of trust. I've had a few moves in the thick of all this auto immune stuff and I've really been quite lucky. In fact, I ended up with a new rheumy 5 years ago that diagnosed me with Sjogrens, so all worked out ok. I hope you have the same luck that I did.
Deb thanks for your words of support. I will keep my fingers crossed that the new doc to which my rheumy referred me will be as good as he was.