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Charmaine, welcome. You certainly have come to the right place to ask questions. Please do introduce yourself under Caregivers, if you have not already done so. MC will greet you with some good reading and we also have Caregiver chat twice weekly. Check above under Chat schedule and see if there is not a time that is good for you.

 

The Neurologist is now a part of Kevin's "Team." Like Kevin, I am sure, Bruce's was "assigned" to him-just his day on call, but I was assured by Bruce's PCP that he was the best. I did not meet him the whole two weeks Bruce was in the hospital, but his team was in every day and I spoke with him on the phone every night. In all fairness, every thing he told me has proved true, however now, 2 1/2 years post, Bruce is just a co=pay.

 

We are fortunate in that Bruce's PCP is a truly dedicated and concerned physician. Bruce has been with him 30 years and since Bruce has had a complete physical two weeks prior to the stroke and all was well, he somehow feels personally responsible that he caused the stroke. Keeps saying if only I had just listened to his Carotids. There was no reason to, of course, but he still blames himself. Everything I need, I go to him.

 

Whoever has POA for Kevin, or your parents; you want a printout of his CT and MRI. Go online and look up the areas that were affected. Call the Neuro and ask when it will be possible for a family meeting-he will probably send a member of his team, but just let him know you are looking for some answers. What areas were affected, what might come back, what is gone. What is his prognosis? Then schedule a meeting with the Social Worker in charge of Kevin: What will his insurance pay? When will home evaluation from the therapists take place? If Kevin is to go to Sub-Acute, what are his choices based on his insurance? Get a list and look into all of them. That is your start. There is more to come, but right now you and your family have to deal with Kevin being discharged and what are his choices. Keep posting and asking. Lots of pros here. Please know I am praying for all of you.

 

Debbie: caregiver to Bruce, Stroke March 2009. Connecticut

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ditch him. if he is a specialist you only see once in a while (i have three of those), i'd say put up with it, but if he is your pcp, ditch him. fortunately my pcp is awesome and i've never had that problem with him.

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A nurse's opinion on neuro doctors........

 

As one colleague put it, neuro doctors are usually the best and brightest in their class (Neuro is one of the most difficult subjects). They are mostly cerebral in nature, and therefore may be blunt or appear unemotional. A medical student who loved talking and comforting patients could have gone into oncology, or family medicine, or psychology. Neurosurgeons become neurosurgeons because they want to fix things... and fix it fast. And they chose to fix the most complicated organ of all.

 

That said, really gentle / kind / sensitive neurosurgeons are rare and few. But they do exist. However it happens, ask questions. It's always their job to answer them

 

If a loved one needed urgent brain surgery or was critical, I'd get the best neurosurgeon regardless of bedside manner. Skill and expertise in treatment do make a world of difference during this critical period. After the patient is stable, then I'd be more willing to consider other options - perhaps someone who listens more and has better bedside manners. Rehab, after all, is a totally different ballgame.

 

 

Kath, you perfectly described my neurologist, Dr. Zoey. She was assigned to me when I entered the hospital. I didn't know she was my neurologist until my third day in the ICU. She did her rounds early in the morning just after I awoke. I knew her as the lady with the nice smile who stopped to see me after I woke up. Since leaving the hospital I've had a few office visits. All of the questions on my list were answered mostly with very direct short answers. At the end of one of my longer lists she said "We only see one or two cases like you in a year, and we don't know all of the answers." She said I'm making a "remarkable" recovery. My wife was talking to a doctor friend of hers who said I'm in good hands.

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