Wednesday, August 22

A scam?

We went to see the "alternative" doctor, the one my inlaws were so secretive about. We had to drive almost three hours north, into France. The sign on the door just reads "Daniel F. Kinesthesiterapie". We went up some stairs and into a small, square, poorly furnished waiting room, with just the lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, eight plastic white chairs and a rectangular wooden table loaded with magazines. A toilet, a carpeted corridor with people waiting on the floor (the ones who weren't lucky enough to get a chair). Our first impression wasn't so good. This man (Dr Mystery) needs a diary, that's what I first thought but "oh, no, he just doesn't work this way", a woman in the waiting room said. No secretary, nothing. Apparently we were to wait until Dr Mystery comes out of his mysterious office, glances around and predicts how long it will take for us to be called in. He did, he looked at the friend who had brought us there (you know there's always a friend of a friend who knows that doctor that blah blah blah) and first said "no, not today, it's impossible". She didn't complain, she just looked at us and said, don't worry, he'll see us. He came out again one hour later and told us to come back in two hours. Great. Our friend said that means four hours. Even greater. That seems to be part of the mystique of this man. Apparently he had talked to our friend on the phone and told her he would see us at 5pm. But that seems to be one of his traits. You can't be sure when he'll see you. Not to mention, I still don't know if he's a doctor! So we went for a walk, came back, found some empty chairs, read, slept, talked, joked... the whole thing reminded me of a scene in Matrix, when they go to see the oracle. It looked like we were waiting for a wizard to come out and perform his miraculous cure. It was past midnight when we went into his office. He studied all the papers we gave him (CT, MRI, blood tests, everything) and he said something about hubby having too much cerebrospinal fluid. "How come his neurologist didn't say that?" I asked. "Because he didn't look for that, neurologist just look for tumors when they're trying to find causes for seizures, if there's no tumor, they don't go further", he said. ??? Well, he seems confident that he can help him control his seizures but he told us not to quit his medication, too. So we'll see. If this is a scam, it's not that good, because he doesn't charge enough. His fee is ridiculous (35 euros). His therapy is mostly cranial work (massage type). We arrived home at 5am. Somehow, we're hopeful, but also guarded. We'll go see him again in a month, but he told us to call him if hubby has another seizure... I hope NOT! I'm feeling better, I went to the doctor and he prescribed some antidepressant called "venlafaxine" but I haven't taken it. I'd rather find another route, like someone to talk to... but that's not included in our social security system. Psychiatrists are included, but not psychologists. So I can go for the cheap/chemical route (venlafaxine) or pay for a psychologist to listen to me! (the expensive/natural route.

4 comments:

James Shott said...

What an ordeal!!!

On the positive side, sometimes people who are extraordinarily gifted in some area or another are extremely eccentric. I sincerely hope that is the case with this physician (assuming that he really is a physician).

I think it is a good that:
1. His waiting room is full
2. He works long hours
3. He charges low fees
4. He is devoted to his work.

Keep us posted, okay?

And, though I'm not close at hand, if you need a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on (symbolically), or want to rant, email me.

Buffalo said...

It's worth a shot. Just because he is unconventional doesn't mean he is a quack.

Nuri said...

Thank you, Buffalo and James. I'm feeling a bit depressed lately, but there's always better times. I still haven't touched those pills, but I feel tempted! I'll go see my doctor again on monday, and ask him if he can recommend a psychologist instead... we'll see. The funny thing is, I seem to be more affected by all of this than my husband! and he's the one who is sick?! Also, I'll try to find out more about our mystery doctor. He told us a few clinics in Barcelona where he had been working, and that can be checked...

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

I feel for you dear Nuri & I sincerely hope that this all works out with your hubby as I can relate in a way (maybe).