The benefit of changing to a new doctor was immediately apparent on my initial interview with him.  His ability to communicate, one individual to another, albeit one having medical expertise, the other requiring it, was without peer.  And there were so many benefits to be had by removing myself from the care of someone who seemed to fail my needs in cardinal ways, they're too numerous to list.  I consider myself most fortunate to be able to have the care of a doctor I can trust when so many others are finding it almost impossible to obtain the services of a family practitioner.

I won't miss the office set-up, nor the building in which it is located, nor yet the staff at the multiple-practise that I had previously attended.  The staff was unfriendly, unhelpful, aloof.  The building shopworn although not that old; obviously not well looked after, although it housed health and medical facilities on its three-plus-basement-floors.  The inconvenience of the distance travelled, and the newly-instituted parking fees represented no bonus.

All that has changed.  I can now, should I wish to, walk the relatively brief distance to the joint medical practise where my new doctor has his office, with his own receptionist and a bevy of nurses, all of whom are personable, helpful and cheerful.  The reception area is clean, bright and spacious, the individual examination rooms clean and functionally attractive.  And once again, both my husband I share the medical services of the same general practitioner.

And we went together, my husband and I, to meet our appointment for inoculation against the latest flu virus strain for the coming winter, yesterday afternoon.  The drive was very short, the wait at the reception area, so short we hardly had settled into our seats, and the administration of the vaccine expeditious and skillful.

Riley, on the other hand, was disconsolate.  Expectant as always that he would accompany us as we prepared to leave the house, he was inordinately downcast at being left behind.  We cannot have been absent from the house for longer than twenty minutes, but on our return he expressed his indignation at being left on his own by howling and yowling the anguish he had suffered, poor little dear.