Since partnering with Wellthy.com to bring you a real-time review of their healthcare concierge service I’ve been taking advantage of all that it has to offer. I turned over a few small issues like getting my insurance straight with the doctors since I’ve tried to explain again and again which is primary and which is secondary. Dana, my personal healthcare manager, and I have had some wonderful conversations as she tries to wrestle the list of things I need to accomplish out of my controlling hands, but that’s a whole other post!

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been having some medical issues. After an Ultrasound, I was referred to a surgeon to have my gallbladder taken out. I wanted to have more information when I went to my appointment this afternoon. So I asked Dana to research gallbladder surgeries. This conversation took place last Thursday afternoon. By Friday afternoon, there was not only a pdf full of great information on the surgery, pre-op, and post-op but also a list of questions to ask the doctor.

I have to tell you, I was really impressed. I mean it was in my inbox in less than 24 hours. I felt so much better about the whole thing after reading what she had sent. To me, this was way above and beyond what I thought they could do for me, but it gets even better. There was also a message from her wanting to set up a phone call for that Monday afternoon. I was surprised that she wanted to speak again when we had only spoken two days before but didn’t think anything else about it.

Monday came and she called to give me the rest of the information she had prepared for me. More information I thought what more could I need? You won’t believe what she told me next! She had called to tell me that she had done some research on my surgeon and she wanted me to know what she had found. She had found out that this surgeon had been sued in a wrongful death suit and had paid $850,000. She not only told me but gave me the link to the article to read it for myself.

How do you put a price on that kind of service?

That was my only thought. I was stunned. All I had asked her to do was to research gallbladder operations and had given her the doctor’s info to make sure that the insurance was straightened out. She did this for me. Now, I don’t want to get all mella-dramatic and say that she saved my life, but she gave me the information that I needed to ask intelligent questions that may save my life.

You probably think that I cancelled the appointment and found another surgeon. You’d be wrong. I went to the appointment armed with the questions that Dana had prepared for me including the question: Have you ever had a lawsuit brought against you? Maybe it’s the gambler in me, but I felt like I needed to give him a chance. So, this afternoon I’m sitting in his office with all sorts of crazy thoughts going through my head like:

• Is he going to sell my gallbladder on the black market?
• Is going to sell any of my other organs on the black market?
• Is going to show up drunk and leave instruments in my stomach?
• Has he had a bad day and maybe just wants to kill somebody?

When he walks in he was so different from what I expected that I actually forgot to be nervous. He was so sweet and gentle. He told me everything I needed to know and then some. I could feel the weight of that one question as if I were trying to bench-press a Volkswagon. I asked every question on the page twice as I tried to work up the nerve to ask this tiny, smiling little man if he was going to kill me. And unfortunately, that’s exactly what I said.

“Have you ever killed anyone?” That my friends is what I asked the surgeon who will be operating on me next week! My name is Rena and I am an idiot! He didn’t know what to say at first, neither did my husband or the nurse for that matter. Then he said, well young lady if you’re asking me if I’ve ever had a patient die then yes I have. He went to tell me he had been operating for 34 years and that he had lost a patient before. He was completely honest and upfront about it. 34 years one lawsuit, I like those odds. Plus he’s even going to let me keep my kidney stone! Just think of the fun I’ll be able to have with that!

What can you take away from that besides the fact that I am an idiot with the maturity level of a 12-year-old? I asked for information on my gallbladder surgery and they went way above and beyond what was expected AGAIN! I could really get used to this! If you managing the care for someone or you are just too busy to take on one more thing then this service is for you.

I’ve had this service for about a month and they found the perfect caregiver for mom. Checked her background, her references, set up the interview, her pay, and her schedule. They researched my upcoming surgery and the doctor performing that surgery as well as what could be expected after the surgery which as a caregiver was VERY important to me. Would I have to stay overnight, would I be able to lift my grandchildren all of the things that I needed to know with remarkable speed. Oh and got my insurance straightened out. I can’t wait to see what Dana is going to do next. She’s like an amazing magician. She makes shit happen!