Dr. Hurley

I have spent the last few weeks in the heart of our medical system. I have nothing but gratitude for the competent care I have received. My Primary Care doc who has worked with me since 2009, retired in the midst of this journey. I am grateful for her but even for me, who thinks he loves change, this was a bit unsettling.
My first doctor was Grant Hurley. Our families were great friends. For me, I never went to the doctor, the doctor came to me, carrying a black bag. In that bag were all kinds of things like a stethoscope, knee knocking hammer, and penicillin shots!!! He was an amazing person and a great physician.
In 1974 I was blessed with my first child. Her mom and I were moving from Denver to Phillips Seminary in Enid, Oklahoma. Dr. Hurley said, “If you stop at your parents house in Pueblo I would be happy to deliver your baby for free”. TRUE!!! So we had a drive-by birth. We weren’t in Pueblo 10 days. Amy showed up right on time. I will never forget the joy when Dr. Hurley handed me that 7 pound 11 ounce baby and said, “Meet the little girl that will change your life”. And she has.
Yesterday I got to meet my new doctor. She is younger than Amy. I told her that I felt very fortunate to have her as my doctor. We began a really honest and fruitful conversation. I told her my last doctor of 11 years, started our with me when I had a life threatening MERSA infection in 2010, and ended with my Covid nightmare. I told her, “I love life, and I have a great one. I need someone who knows me and will hold me accountable and fight for me in the complexities of health care 2021”. She said, “I can do that”. Her approach to medicine and life are very much in synch with me. Then she put me to the test. “Why are you not on Statin drugs”? “Well, I don’t like how they make me feel”. She pulls out a data sheet and shows me the “facts” about how they would reduce my risk of heart attack and stroke. “Ok, you win, I am headed to the pharmacy”.
I left that very modern, full service medical complex, feeling cared for and listened to. My emotions drifted back to a lifetime of medical care. Medicine isn’t just a science its and art—thanks agin Dr. Grant Hurley.
Onward and Upward,

Mark