Bedside manner matters!

In our quest to get this girls feet fixed, we decided to seek a second opinion on her bunions. And boy! what a difference a doctor can make!

This time, we took her to a podiatrist. We actually talked to a podiatrist in another state to see if he had an opinion about what kind of a doctor would be a better fit for bunions (now that we knew they were bunions). He gave us some good things to think about, as far as what to look for in a good doctor, what kind of questions to ask, etc. So I called my neighbor across the street who has yet to steer me wrong when it comes to doctors. She suggested a podiatrist that has actually seen her daughter, so I made an appointment. The crazy thing was, when I went and checked Melissa out of school for her appointment, my neighbor was at the school checking out her daughter for an appointment (I know, what are the chances) her appointment was with an orthopedic doctor because the podiatrist had recommended that's what they should do. So, there's sign one of a good doctor, they aren't so full of themselves to think that they can solve it all. The other good thing about running into them is her daughter was able to tell Melissa how much she liked the doctor, so it put Melissa's mind at ease a bit.

The doctor came in and first examined her foot. He actually held it, bent it looked at it, measured her pain, felt the bones, etc. It hadn't donned on me before that the first doctor didn't actually LOOK at her foot. He just looked at the x-rays, and made a suggestion. This doctor looked at her foot from all sorts of angles, and measured her arches. And then was able to come up with a plan of action that will be the best for HER. WE (Steve and I) were sold on this guy.

However, that wasn't the best part, Melissa is sold on this doctor as well. All throughout the exam, when he was talking to us, he was talking directly to her as well. Explaining everything to her in ways that she would understand. He even asked her about her interests. He found out that she is really into dance. So, when he was dicussing her options, he made mention to how it would affect her dancing, what kind of recovery time was involved, and how when all was said and done, she wouldn't have to give up dancing. At one point, he looked at her and said, "What kind of questions do you have for me?" And then when she said she didn't have any, he said, "Well, let me tell you what kind of questions you might have as soon as all of this soaks in." And then proceeded to tell her all sorts of good stuff that probably are or will be concerns to her.

So, to end an already long story, Melissa will have surgery in the summer after her dance competitions are over and then most likely be able to begin dancing again in the fall. This doctor is also suggesting a different kind of a surgery that will hopefully mean less recovery time, and also not as much joint stiffness. He also doesn't seem to think that she will need the surgery again any time soon. He said that if she does need the surgery again, it will be well into her adult years. So more good news! Just sayin'.