Healthcare in Delaware (Dover, Middletown: moving to, offices, hairdresser)

[anniebleu]

Originally Posted by rockky

annie, Unfortunately, I'm still dealing with the health issues. The Prednisone and pain meds have altered my quality of every day living. I kept trying and asking questions. I got little to no answers. One of the docs was just plain mean. I was near tears when I left his office....and, truly, that is not like me.

Each of them gave me a different diagnosis. Until I left Dover, I had seen five docs and three PT groups. I know dern well I was really down in the dumps....feeling so dismissed. One doc gave me a very grim outlook. The guy he sent me to wanted to know why I was taking up his time. The tests showed I didn't have any serious problems.

I don't have a history of doctor hopping or any long-term health issues. I don't make a career of find health issues in myself.

The other deal was a UTI...common and simple. I ended up on a series of four different antibiotics. When we hit number three, I got a call from the doctor's office telling me to stop taking what they had last prescribed. (I had already finished them as per directions.) They said that what they were giving me was not effective on the particular infection I had. Someone must not have looked at the test results in the first place. This wasn't a simple in-house dip. I paid for outside lab results. This went on for over a month from the onset of the infection. Plus, they seemed very unconcerned. When I moved from Dover, my records were requested. They lost them.....eventually found....weeks later.

I know I'm sounding like a whiny butt. I apologize for that. The point is that I felt as if most of these professionals were not interested in the individual patient. I was a 'case'. Not a person. There seemed to be a marked lack of professionalism in the office staff of many providers.

Perhaps there's a larger population in Kent County than there are medical professionals to provide adequate service. I dunno. I just know I was not feeling well and felt very frustrated.

Just my experience.

rockky, I'm so sorry to hear that your health problems are ongoing, but I can identify--especially with the Prednisone, which I take, and dislike intensely. I became ill soon after we arrived in Dover, so my story goes back many years, but no doctor I saw in Dover said more than "Relax, it's your nerves," or some variation thereof. Finally a relative (an out of state doctor) referred me to Johns Hopkins. They diagnosed my autoimmune disease on the first visit, but this was about 6 years after the symptoms became very noticeable. There were more problems to follow locally, for me, and for another member of my family.

I do like to think that none of this would have happened nowadays, but in the case of my other family member, it would still be just as serious and have the ongoing impact, because of lack of an (even) adequate specialist in that particular area.

I wish for wellness for all of you!

[rockky]

annie, I'm sorry to hear that you got the same 'song' so many hear. I'm not sure how a major staph infection can be cased by nerves, but........oh, well. You know.

Prednisone can be a necessary evil. I avoid it, but every now and then (and a few pounds more ) I have to take a short course.

The care in Delaware isn't like what you will find in Baltimore or Philadelphia for example.
That's one of the reasons they think the cancer rate is so high in DE. There is cancer everywhere. In years past, it simply was not found and treated quickly in DE.

I was with a loved one at Presbyterian Hospital in Philly for surgery a couple of months ago. After extensive investigation, that was the choice for the best care....even suggested by a support group in Wilmington. Most of them said to go 'out of state'. Many people don't have the means to do that though.

Take care, and damn that Prednisone!! ((Hugs!!))

[movn2del]

Originally Posted by rockky

Yeah. I agree. I'd just like to know what it is I'm fighting.

I agree that knowing what it is does make things a bit easier. I wish you the best of luck in getting that sooner, rather than later.

[maryCh]

Wow! What a hot topic! Finally catching up on my reading... some. Our family went to the same practice elizamary went to last fall; we aren't too happy with them either. Hubby refers to the current family doc here in Dover as "the witch doctor"! The straw that broke this camel's back was when the doc told hubby that he (doc) was the gatekeeper to hubby's health... uh, excuse me?????

We too are shopping around, when I get a moment to make calls. Our dilemna is rooted in the out of state insurance... any suggestions there? I just checked the plan website, and there are no doctors listed in the "greater" Dover area. Please tell me we are not stuck going to the witch doctor!!

Mary

[rockky]

Mary, I believe I posted on here about the mess I had with out of state health insurance. My carrier is less than 30 miles from Delaware in Philadelphia. I don't doubt that many of the employees of this company live in DE. It's a biggggg company.

It's a long story, and it never was resolved satisfactorily. I just made spread sheets and tried to watch every penny. Some of it was never going to be right, and I had to live with it. Talking to BC/BS was worthless.

We live in a transient society. That didn't use to be the case. It seems to me that insurance hasn't kept up with these trends. I think many of us have simply learned to be glad we have any coverage at all. After months and months of fight, I arrived at that rational anyway. It was either that or be out more money for psychological support.

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by maryCh

Wow! What a hot topic! Finally catching up on my reading... some. Our family went to the same practice elizamary went to last fall; we aren't too happy with them either. Hubby refers to the current family doc here in Dover as "the witch doctor"! The straw that broke this camel's back was when the doc told hubby that he (doc) was the gatekeeper to hubby's health... uh, excuse me?????


Mary

Yep, We got a bum steer on this one. Take time to find the right doctor sometimes. Some get lucky on the first try. I did find another doctor but it took me 4 months to get an appointment.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by rockky

The care in Delaware isn't like what you will find in Baltimore or Philadelphia for example.
That's one of the reasons they think the cancer rate is so high in DE. There is cancer everywhere. In years past, it simply was not found and treated quickly in DE.((Hugs!!))

Good Morning Y'all!
I've been reading this thread, with much interest.....basically, because I am pretty dumb about this topic. But, I'm trying to learn, because health problems affect us all....(NSS)

The word "cancer" scares us all, and personally, scares me more than anything because of all you've mentioned, i.e. treatment questions, availability of good/young doctors. We have very few smart/young doctors who've gone away to study, and who've returned to Dover to practice. On the other hand, Bay Health's Cardiac Unit touts being the best in Delaware ?? Maybe, not up to par with others in Phil. and Baltimore, I don't know. Some cardiac specialists left Jefferson Hospital in Phil. to join the Bay Health/Kent General Cardiac Unit, and moved their families here, basically because it's cheaper to live here (no surprise there, huh?)

Did any of you see the headlines last week about Kenton, DE having an extremely high cancer rate? That's a mystery to many, because it's rural farm country. It's not a mystery to me, because that's where our farm was, and 30 years ago, we lost a farmer on each side of us from cancer. Diagnosis was inhaling all of the fertilizers, lime, weed killers, and such.

Keep talking, I'm learning.............MaryCh....did you check Dr. Lobo in Harrington?

[maryCh]

elizamary, we are still checking around for a family doc. So far, we're getting the roadblock on the insurance, so we are stuck with the "witch doctor" for now. Even pediatricians are full up for new patients... I'd consider that for the kids (13 and 11) for now.

Delly, I may have to give Dr Lobo's office a call.. was hoping to be closer to Dover, at least for the kids, but I have GOT to get on with this project... I have labs myself that were supposed to be done a month ago! Thanks for the referral!

Mary

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by maryCh

elizamary, we are still checking around for a family doc. So far, we're getting the roadblock on the insurance, so we are stuck with the "witch doctor" for now. Even pediatricians are full up for new patients... I'd consider that for the kids (13 and 11) for now.

Delly, I may have to give Dr Lobo's office a call.. was hoping to be closer to Dover, at least for the kids, but I have GOT to get on with this project... I have labs myself that were supposed to be done a month ago! Thanks for the referral!

Mary

Mary, there's a group in Dover....Family Physicians, I believe it is. They are supposed to be very good. Or, Dr. Lobo, that popular local doctor in Harrington, as you mentioned. So many of them don't take new patients. The only way I got Dr. Lobo 10 years ago, is because Dr. Bishoff retired and referred me, my sweetheart, and my Mom. And, many have retired since, because of the many "down-sides", but you know all about that. I'll be at the Lab myself, in 2 weeks! I go to Forest Avenue....closer than State Street, Dover.

Hope you're feeling better soon, Charley!

[kat196]

I have kept the same doctor I had for over 20 years in PA but my husband switched when we moved here 5 years ago to a doctor in Middletown. He sees him for yearly exams and until now hasn't needed him for any medical issues. A few weeks ago he woke up feeling awful and as the day went on felt worse. He called the doctor in the late morning and the receptionist basically said sorry, the doctor was too busy. If you're that sick go to the emergency room. We couldn't believe it ---- not once in over 20 years in PA, including pediatricians for our three kids, have we ever had a doctor say he wouldn't see us if we were sick and wanted to be seen. We did go to the urgent care center (he had pneumonia) but he's looking for another doctor. I think I'll continue to drive 2 hours when I need to see mine.....he's such a gem.
Kathy