My longtime primary care provider, Paul Goldstein, MD seems miffed that I haven't consulted him at all about my orthopedic problems in between my semi-annual physicals. Guilty as charged, I fill him in but wonder why it should matter since he would have referred me to a specialist in any case. Besides, when I called his office last year for a referral to a urologist, the receptionist referred me instead to a neurologist, something I didn't discover until after waiting 3 months for an appointment. Dr. Goldstein fell all over himself apologizing when I brought this to his attention but the lesson stuck. Still, I'm surprised that a record of my visit with Dr. Kassipidis has found its way into my medical record. This seems remarkably efficient, especially because Dr. Goldstein is also "out of network."
Dr. Goldstein extracts a promise that I will consult him after about next steps after I get the results of my bloodwork when Dr. Markenson returns from a 2-week vacation in Italy. He's also big on prescribing medicine and he suggests tramadol, an opiod antagonist to relieve severe pain over an extended period of time. I resist, as I do taking almost any medication, but accept the prescription thinking that maybe I can stockpile it to end my life if that ever becomes necessary.
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