Fourteen years ago today I discovered I was diabetic after a summer of nausea, stomach issues, general feeling of malaise, and a constant need to pee. The absdolutely inept doctor assigned to me by my HMO once again completely missed the boat: he spent the summer sending me off for x-rasys and tests. On Aug, 27, I was at a birthday party with friends and, after I described my symptoms, one of the guests said "You're diabetic!" My memory is that former DRs Ben and JoseSpiano were there.
The next morning I made an appointment with my doctor, and I saw him around 2:00. After I told him my thoughts on the issue of diabetes, he checked my blood for the first time ever. He looked at the meter reading for a long, long time. Then he said, you need to go to a hospital for insulin immediately.
I came home, sent a group email to a lot of friends and family - I thought I might be dying - and took a No. 7 or 11 bus to St. Lukes at 114th Street. I was in the ER until midnight on two bags of insulin The doctors there tried to call my asshole MD, who never answered the phone. Former DR Jose showed up around 5:00 with his new Smart Phone and stayed with me until my release.
About a year later, I got a phone call from my HMO asking for my thoughts on their service. I told them the doctor assigned to me was an inept incompetent fool waiting out retirtement who had misdiagnosed me at least three times between 1998 and 2008, all resulting is serious health issues, three surgeries, and two visits between Aug. 28 and LAbor Day to the ER.
About a month later, the doctor retired ad I was assigned a very good doctor.
