Seeing Dr. Ginzburg

I had an appointment with Dr. Ginzburg yesterday. He has been my cardiologist for the last 22 years. He is very cautious and was the last doctor on board for this operation. From a medical perspective, this was a completely unnecesasry visit, but I wanted to see him, once more, before the operation. Although I've always liked him, I felt a special humanity today. We all have habits, and I have become accustomed to Dr. Ginzburg's. He starts his office visits with a smile, a handshake, questions about how I am doing, a few light interchanges, the physical exam, feedback, and I'll see you in six months, possibly with an echocardiogram in between. We usually joke about one thing or another, and I'm out in about 40 minutes. Today, following the handshake, Dr. Ginzburg sat on a chair, crossed his legs, smiled and fielded my questions. He immediate recognized, and was sensitive to the fact that I was there for no reason other than to babble, and re-ask questions I had asked before.

Dr. Ginzburg chuckled a bit after reading Dr. Rosenbloom's (the surgeon) letter in which he mentioned that he gave me the choice of three valves. He did not expect that, and I don't think he had seen this before. Dr. Ginzburg said that they were all excellent valves, and that, in his experience, different surgeons simply get used to using one, and then keep using that valve. Who knows? I'm sure they all have well paid, manufacturer representatives who try their best to sway the surgeons in their direction. I certainly could see nothing, convincing, when I tried to review the research, to point to one or the other.

Afte I left his office, I realized that this was the first time I ever saw Dr. Ginzburg in which he did not conduct a physical examination. It was clear, he knew I was anxious and he was there, simply, to listen.