I have a good pdoc who really knows his bipolar stuff. He's personable and I think he likes me as a person as well as a patient. But no one will ever live up to my first one. I call him Dr. Awesomesauce. He studied me thoroughly and knew me through and through, and we adored each other. There was never any question about who was the doctor and who wasn't, but he often let me in on his life and we'd trade funny stories about college, colonoscopies and families. He was smart, funny, thoughtful, philosophical, and he cared more about being a doctor than material rewards. He saw me when he knew I couldn't pay. He was conservative about prescribing meds, but always gave me just what I needed at a given time. He even gave me free therapy over the phone.

I miss him so much. He left the clinic and went into private practice, and I hope he's doing well. He doesn't take Medicare so I had to stop seeing him, otherwise I would have followed him to his new office. But I'm very lucky that I have Dr. Goodenough now, so I really can't complain too much. He's good about returning calls too and never fails to call in my medications when needed. And he knows bipolar better than Dr. A, who was never sure which kind of BP I had. (I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 in the hospital and have since received the same diagnosis from three more providers, including Dr. G.) I hope that when my family and I move to Texas in a couple of years, I don't have trouble finding another good doctor.