Life Changing Stories
David's Story
On February 2, 2007, David Silbernagel, who had never missed a day from work, got a flu shot. Four days later he developed flu symptoms forcing him to go home from work. When these symptoms progressed to include severe chest pain, David saw his doctor who diagnosed David's condition as pleurisy and prescribed the appropriate medication.
Several days later, David was experiencing extreme symptoms and one of the medications had caused his ulcer to bleed causing him to vomit blood. David was admitted to his local hospital, but his condition continued to deteriorate. He was now having extreme headaches, vertigo and vomiting.
After two days, he was sent to Regina, Saskatchewan, the closest large centre where he could get the types of tests he required - CT scans, MRI’s, and spinal fluid tests. His condition continued to worsen. Now his speech was impaired, he was having problems with his eyes and he couldn’t walk. The test results did not generate a clear diagnosis; however, his doctors thought it might be a viral infection of the brain.
David’s employer, worried about the uncertainty of David’s diagnosis and treatment, advised him to contact Best Doctors, a service that was part of the company’s employee benefits package.
David called Best Doctors
All David’s medical records and test results were collected by the Member Advocate, a Registered Nurse at Best Doctors to whom David told his story. His records were sent to a Best Doctors Neurologist who confirmed the new diagnosis. The Best Doctors specialist recommended several treatment options, including a very specific medication of which David’s local treating physicians had been unaware. David and his doctors followed the recommendations, and, after 20 days in hospital, David returned home.
HOW BEST DOCTORS HELPED
“My family doctor was intrigued by the report and really looked into it”, said David, “and because of the report, he felt a change in my Neurologist was needed and referred me to a new specialist.”
David returned to work in mid-August, although it will take a year for him to fully recover. “I am suffering from insomnia and mood swings from the viral infection and I still have problems with my eyes that worsen when I lack sleep.
“I specifically want everyone connected with Best Doctors to know how much I appreciate their service and what comfort I got from it.”, David commented. “Spiros, my Best Doctors Member Advocate, was such a wonderful help all through the process. Only recently, I called him because of questions I had about my future. He immediately called the Best Doctors specialists and got me answers within one day. How great is that?”
David concluded, “Everyone in Canada should be lucky enough, like me, to have this incredible service as a company benefit.”