I saw Dr Wagoneck for the first time this week.

For 25 years, I had been seeing an ARNP who was there forever, and like every single one of her patients (I’m sure), I was furious with the hospital when she left, a year ago.

So I walked in to the appointment prepared not to like Dr Wagoneck, but he put me at ease instantaneously…. and earned my respect by saying that medicine is still a misogynist institution, and went on to give an example of how women and men are treated differently when seeking Viagra vs Hormone Replacement Treatment.

The weird thing is I had no physical exam - and this was my “Well Woman” appointment!! I’ve never seen a doctor for gynecological issues where I didn’t have to be in stirrups! And no breast exam (his predecessor saves my friend’s life by manually finding a lump on her breast that was cancer. So skipping all of that seems odd to me, but he did order a mammogram, so maybe that was adequate.

He also told me women over 60 (sniff) no longer need annual PAP smears! Guidance is now for something like every five years.

He was funny and self-deprecating and explained things on my level, rather than talking down to me. And all-around was just wonderful :)