It was one of those familiar days for someone in the 60 plus age range. That usual ache or pain had gotten to the point that it needed attention. I called Dr. Ted Miller and was told to come in within the hour.
At 68 years old, it is important to have a heads-up from a health perspective on what may come next. Dr. Miller provides an annual health assessment to spot trends and explain issues that may be important. On the day of my impromptu visit, I had a pesky pain in my back that had been around for a few months and even years. All of the signs were otherwise normal, indicating that the pain was likely just another senior pain or could be the result of an old injury.
Nonetheless, Dr. Miller thought it best to look further with an MRI. The results of the MRI were inconclusive except for the presence of a gall stone. Dr. Miller said, "be prepared for a gallbladder attack". He explained the symptoms and what would need to happen when they presented themselves. I thanked him for his wise counsel and went on my way, still carrying that pesky pain.
I recalled when my wife had experienced a gallbladder attack a few years earlier during a trip to Las Vegas. You can imagine the night we spent finding a doctor in Las Vegas and attempting to discover what was causing her tremendous pain and discomfort. The doctor confirmed a gallbladder attack and sent us back home to schedule surgery a week later.
A few months later, as predicted, I woke up one night with symptoms exactly as Dr. Miller explained. At 7AM, I called Dr. Miller on his personal cell phone. He said I should come to his office ASAP. After Dr. Miller confirmed the gallbladder attack, he explained that he had called a prominent surgeon who had created an opening in his surgery schedule around noon. After determining that it was safe for me to drive, he sent me to the hospital which was about 10 minutes away. Dr. Miller had called Admissions and the admissions staff was waiting to admit me for outpatient surgery.
I called my wife to give her the news. She arrived at the hospital a few minutes later with my daughter to drive my car home. The surgery was complete by 3PM and I was sent home from recovery about 4PM. After a few days of light activity, I was back to normal.
I was amazed that what could have been a long and painful experience like my wife had experienced in Las Vegas was transformed by Dr. Miller through knowledge, reputation and experience into a short few hours of inconvenience.
Two points can be taken from my experience, First, the MDVIP program and Dr. Miller gives me a heads-up in knowing what to expect. Second, had my wife been a member of MDVIP when she had her gallbladder attack in Las Vegas, we wouldn't have spent all night looking for an unknown doctor. MDVIP would have simply sent us to a participating doctor in Las Vegas who had been vetted and recommended by the VIP program. They would have sent my wife's medical history to the participating doctor in advance.
Although Dr. Miller has been my personal physician for a number of years, I have never been more pleased with the comprehensive evaluation I get each year through his and my participation in the MDVIP program. My wife is also under Dr. Miller's care and a member of MDVIP. This program has made it possible for us to find comfort in knowing what to expect and what comes next.
Patient of Ted J. Miller, MD
