Practice( Medical, that is) Makes Perfect: Does It?

    A major frustration  in my mind, made even worse because I know it's minor, is being unable to find something I'm looking for. I tend to keep a lot of documents, and stuff, and I have a sorta system for filing that usually serves me well. At present, I am looking for an ENT to resolve a problem in my ear. A short time ago, I visited Emurgent Care and the P.A. gave me a list of ENT's for referrals. I have uncovered just about every medical report and downloaded information from the beginning of time, but I can not find this one. I know I can call and get a copy, but darn it, it has to be somewhere in my house.

   I'm tempted to throw away a lot of old paperwork, as I did to an extent with VA materials, but find myself reluctant to do so. So I search through, read, and return to folders. As I'm facing a medical procedure shortly with a new doctor, I look through my previous interactions with my possibly former doctor, which I can track back to 1988.  I also see other once and former doctors who have referred me to other specialists  when they felt a newer procedure was a better fit with my condition; I cite Dr. Almonte  who referred me for  updated procedures several times. 

   The doctor in question now evidently does not refer patients to other practices. He has been attempting to resolve an issue now for several years with at least 4 attempts with that same issue. We have had reasonable discussions and no disagreements as I had no way of knowing if there was an alternative treatment. But my primary care doctor (who is retiring next month) suggested I contact a highly skilled practitioner in that field who had recently provided him with an  exceptional outcome. As that highly esteemed doctor is now on medical leave, I was referred to another doctor in that practice.

   The truth is that no one can ever know what will happen, if change is worth it, whether one should stick with the tried and true rather than rely on the science of innovation. I have an IRA which requires a minimum withdrawal each year based on the actuarial estimate of a 5.3 year life span. At present rate, that's at least 10 more "procedures."  Onward and Inward!