Great story, thanks for sharing.
I knew those old GP's. One of them I mentioned in a post yesterday - the man who worked alone, without even a secretary. He was a WWII Navy Surgeon, and after the war started his own practice. He did, of course, everything. He would take care your blood pressure and your sore throat, he would deliver your baby, take out your gallbladder if needed... and so on. In due course, as specializations evolved, they stopped him from doing surgery, but he continued as a GP. He wanted to retire and offered me to take over many of his patients. No money, but he did have one condition. He had some 12-15 patients who were old and frail, and once a month he would visit them at home. I had to promise that I would continue doing that - which I did, for many years to come. Must say I found it to be very gratifying.
The old guy did well... for the first few years he traveled the world like crazy. I noticed that many Navy guys do that after they retire. 20 years later, already well in his 90's, he was still my patient. We would sit down and have a nice chat.
Once, in his mid-80's, he made a hole in one. Can you believe that? Never saw the man happier. |
