A Sign of Old Age?

I knew the contents of the letter before I even opened the envelope from my primary care physician. I knew it wasn't a bill from my appointment two weeks earlier. Or test results from the week earlier. I knew it was a good-bye letter.

This is the fifth such notification I have received in the past 18 months. First, it was the dentist. A man I used to go to church with, who I have been seeing for about a quarter of a century. He was moving away and taking his part of the practice with him.

About a year ago it was my OB/GYN. His retirement was not a surprise because he had already scaled back from doing obstetrics to only regular gynecological appointments. "Let the young doctors handle the middle of the night calls," he said.

Then came the message from my endocrinologist. My Adi. The doctor who talked me off a metaphorical cliff more than once after receiving bloodwork that was less than stellar. She always has a solution of what to try next. She gave so much notice that not only did I have time for a couple of more appointments, a retirement party with over a hundred people planning to attend. She is that well-loved.

Then the eye doctor with an end of the year email saying he was selling the practice. No chance for an in-person good-bye. His staff was surprised how quickly he left. No chance for a retirement party.

The latest letter came this week. Two weeks ago, I complained to her that most of my medical team was retiring. She didn't bat an eye or give me a hint that she was next. In hindsight, I'm surprised she ordered bloodwork since she won't be around to read it.

The hunt is on for new members for what I call Team Jacquie. The OB/GYN was part of a larger practice, so I've tried someone else. I don't even remember her name. The eye doctor sold to someone who has all my paper records. May as well try there. The dentist sold to someone. When I make my appointment, I know what building to go to, but there is such a revolving door since he retired, I have not bothered to get to know the names of the hygienists or dentists. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd find someone new. Same is true of the PCP.

Adi is going to be the hardest one to replace. She ran a solo practice. Did not take insurance, but the trade-off was very long appointments for what I would have to pay towards a deductible anyway. She always answered texts and emails with a smile and no extra fees. I wish her all the best, because I know she wishes all of us all the best. 

Time to find doctors younger than I am. Doctors who plan to keep working a couple of more decades. Hopefully ones who are just as compassionate as the ones they are replacing.