WHY GROUP HEALTH? MEMBERS SAY IT BEST
Facing Fear of Doctors
Turned Life Around

Barbara Gorzinski
Member

In February 2004, my body's systems went totally berserk. I ended up in intensive care with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure, sleep apnea, hypothyroid, and diabetes. I never had any chest pain, thought my breathing problems were due to allergies, and chalked up my tiredness to menopause. I was a walking dead person but I thought I was the best judge of how to take care of myself. That was just a cover for my deep-seated fear of putting myself in the hands of doctors. My body finally trumped my bad thinking and I submitted to the care of the Group Health doctors.

After what I had thought was a hormone problem was fixed — insulin and thyroid, not estrogen — I made a remarkable recovery. I've been grateful particularly for the reassurance of an internal medicine specialist who was confidant I'd be back to normal, and for my cardiac care nurse, Barbara Larrabee, who cleared all kinds of barriers — bureaucratic and those from my own frame of mind — to get me the testing and treatment I needed.

My continued experience of care at Group Health has turned my distrust of the medical profession around. I've felt that everyone, from the check-in staff to the pharmacy, lab techs, doctors, and nurses has really taken care of me and spent the time to make sure I fully understand what I need to do for the good of my health.

What Does Group Health Mean To You?
Group Health gave me my life back!

POSTED: March 2008

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