Friends 2

I woke up last Sunday and could barely get out of bed because of intense back pain. I could not bend over to put on my socks and shoes because the pain was incredible. I have moved the 'wrong way' before and the pain took my breath away but this was different. I still thought that my lower back would improve just like it had in the past. Needless to say, I could not put on my own socks and shoes for nearly a week. Dr. Banchs usually stops in my office to chat on Wednesday evening after his Pilates sessions in the office next to mine at 18 Division St in Saratoga Springs. We chatted for a while and I told him that I was in intense pain sitting in my consult room. I described the location and nature of the pain and my favorite endodontist tells me that he had the same thing and it is called 'Piriformis Syndrome.' I called the physical therapist that Dr. Banchs recommended and was told that I would need a physician's referral. I asked them if they could help me get an appointment with the orthodpedic/sports medicine office right next to their office. "Absolutely, not!" was the answer. You will have to call yourself and it will take weeks to get an appointment. Now my back was feeling even worse!

Thursday evening Susan and I hobbled over to Starbucks which is around the corner from our apartment and after having coffee, we passed another of our favorite restaurants, Maestros (on Broadway in Saratoga Springs) and the owner,John was standing outside. We shared greetings and I told him of my horrific back pains and how it would take WEEKS to get an appointment with a specialist. He told me to call him the following morning if I still could not get an appointment with a back specialist and HE would call his friend for me.

Needless to say, my friend John got me an appointment and three hours later, I was seen by a neurologist who agreed with Dr. Banchs' diagnosis and I had the necessary medicine to begin healing my bad back.

Isn't this what friends do for friends? When it comes to health care, you should never go to a physician or a dentist as a 'nobody.' I was John's friend and he called the right doctor who made sure that I would be taken care of.

(Aside: Anyone that knows me and my office knows that when YOU are in pain, either my staff or I will call a dental specialist so that you will be seen immediately and be relieved of your pain. I cannot understand the lack of humanity in medical offices who will not lift a finger to help another human being who is in pain.)