To the Guyer family,
I am writing this letter, because it is important that you know how much you have helped my son and I during the last six months and how thankful I am to have found such great care. Your staff is one of a kind.
When I was a little girl, my mother would call our family doctor’s office whenever my brother, sister or I were sick to ask the nurse what she should do My mother would tell the nurse about our symptoms, then the nurse would discuss the problem with the doctor. Nine out of ten times, the doctor would either call in a prescription or tell my mother to just wait a few days, give us plenty of fluids, feed us chicken soup, see how we do, and go from there. Years later when I became a mother, I often wished that the medical profession operated the way it did when I was a little girl. Wouldn’t it be nice to call my family doctor and actually converse with a nurse rather than leave a message, wait until the next day for her or someone else to call back, and then provide me with partial answers to questions or with information that I already know. The days of getting advice over the phone are gone. I understand that in our litigious society with ever-increasing malpractice suits physicians have no choice. While unfortunate, it is the society we live in. What is also unfortunate is that while physicians care about the patients, their medical staffs often fall short.
Frequently, they do their job to make a living, but really aren’t passionate about wellness. They typically force a smile and say the right thing at the right time, but it really isn’t genuine. They know what they are supposed to say so they say it . . . period. This is not the case at the Guyer Institute. Not only is the medical care more thorough and access to medical staff much more readily available, the people at the facility genuinely care about the patients and are passionate about helping people meet their wellness goals
Out of the 8 or 10 physicians that my son saw last year, Dr. Guyer is one of the few we trust: he is the one we trust the most and with whom we have made the most progress. If another physician makes a recommendation, my son says, “We need to ask Dr. Guyer about that” or “We need to see if that’s okay with Dr. Guyer.”
The simple statements tell me that my son trusts Dr. Guyer wholeheartedly. In addition, Dr. Guyer has a way of talking to my son that makes him feel at ease and doesn’t confuse him like other physicians. Dr. Guyer doesn’t simply depend 100 percent on what my son tells him about symptoms. If so, my son’s answer would always be, “I just feel like crap, and I want to feel better.” Instead, Dr. Guyer asks questions like, “Do you feel like you don’t have any strength? Do you feel worse at night or in the morning? What kinds of foods do you eat? How are you sleeping?” Most of his other doctors just wait for him to mention a few symptoms, ask a few questions—“any fever or nausea”—then proceed to write a prescription: all in a matter of five to seven minutes. As any parent knows, this is a problem. First, it is difficult for a young man to articulate how he’s feeling in a short time frame. It helps that Dr. Guyer asks probing questions, not just ones he is supposed to ask, and allows time for conversation and explanation.
One of my son’s main concerns when he first became sick was that he wasn’t explaining his condition well enough to his multiple physicians. He believed that the reason physicians couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him was because he wasn’t articulating his illness well enough.
Of course, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that physicians didn’t have time to really, really listen. It was almost as if every time we came to an appointment, we were starting over. With Dr.Guyer, we pick up where we left off and go from there. We don’t have to re-explain everything every time we come in. It quickly became very apparent after we started seeing Dr. Guyer that my son’s previous doctors were just going through the motions that they were trained to do, but were never really listening—not because the physicians didn’t care, but because they were rushed. With a waiting room full of sick people, they can’t get to them fast enough. They see so many patients in a day that they pick up on a few key words/symptoms from the patient and go from there. Whether you are a patient or the mother of a patient, it’s difficult to process the doctor’ recommendations in such a short time frame. The typical five-minute office visit allows just enough time for the doctor to ask a couple of questions, make recommendations, and send you on your way. You don’t have time to process the information—let alone think of any questions to ask. You leave the office and then in the car think of five or six questions you wished you asked. By then, it is too late.
This is certainly not the case at the Guyer Institute. We never feel rushed, or walk away thinking we didn’t have enough time with Dr. Guyer.
Amgad is wonderful. Caring, patient, knowledgeable, helpful, Amgad has a big heart and his role in patient care is crucial. I used to call him almost every day and felt so guilty because I felt like I was taking advantage of him in some way. Whenever my son came in for an I.V.
I thanked Amgad for being so helpful and apologized for calling him so often. He would always say, “That is my job, what I am here for, and what I am supposed to do.” I quickly realized that is really what he is there for and that really is part of his job. I thought, “Wow, this place really, really cares.” Whoever brought a physician like Amgad on staff really knew what they were doing— the job was created with Amgad specifically in mind. I don’t know where you would find another physician to play the role that Amgad plays in patient care.
My son’s health issues in the past months have been erratic. I never knew from one day to the next how he is going to feel. Knowing that I can call Amgad for advice at any time has been of tremendous value. I can remember many times when the kids were very young and suffering from the flu, sprained ankle or whatever, they seemed fine during the day, but as soon as the doctor’s office closed something changed, and I spent the evening worrying about it. The next morning, I would call the doctor and they would tell me to bring him in. Or the next morning, you leave a message at the office, then the nurse calls back and tells you what to do. All too often, the answer isn’t even close to what you asked.
I
don’t worry about this scenario at the Guyer Institute. I want to
be able to talk to someone who isn’t rushed and actually have a two-way
conversation rather than talking to a nurse who doesn’t have all the
answers. Amgad is always in the office after hours so it is nice that
when 5 p.m. rolls around, I know that Amgad is there well after 5 p.m.,
caring for patients and answering voice mails.
When I first brought my son to the Guyer Institute, I was very worried
about my son’s deteriorating health. Amgad noticed my concern and
took me back to one of the rooms while my son received an I.V.
He assured me that he, too, had a son around my son’s age and understood
what I was going through. He reassured me that Dr. Guyer would
be able to help my son and that he would eventually figure out what
was wrong with him. Also, whenever Amgad thinks or senses that I might
be going the wrong direction, he gently pulls me back, provides his
input, and explains why. He does it in a way that I don’t think
anyone else could. Amgad is one of a kind and definitely one of
the key players in your Institute’s success.
Then, there is Skip.
During the first few weeks after my son started seeing Dr.Guyer, I called Skip almost everyday with a million questions. Normally if a health care professional gets that many phone calls from a patient, they might eventually get irritated and avoid a conversation. Not Skip. It didn’t phase him. By answering my questions, he was doing what he loves. He not only answered my multiple questions, but offered advice as well as his perspective. He assured me that if anyone could help my son that Dr. Guyer is the one who would eventually figure out how to help my son get better. I know Skip is extremely busy, but that never stopped him from taking the time to really listen, care, and help. Whenever I’m in the pharmacy to pick up supplements for my son, Skip asks me how my son is, because he genuinely cares. When my son comes in for an I.V., Skip always pops into the I.V. room to say a few words or interact with him in some way. He talks to my son like he was his buddy or brother, not just another patient. He even asks me how I am doing, encouraging me to do not forget about myself.
How are all of you so intuitive?
When I first met B.J., I thought she was kind of bossy, but quickly realized that she was all about patient care and customer service. She always makes sure that when there is someone in the reception area or waiting area that they are attended to. She, too, reassured me that my son would get better and one day would be saying goodbye to everyone. During the first few visits, she noticed how bad my son’s skin was and started asking me where he had been—what did he get in to or eat that could have caused the rash. While I knew that the skin condition didn’t result from something he ate or was exposed to, I was impressed that she cared enough to ask and wanted to help. She could have just gone about her business running between the front office and the back, but instead took the time to say a few words and interact with the patients, not just go through the motion of “Dr. Guyer will be with you in a moment” routine. She always compliments me when there—whether on how I dressed that day or telling my son how lucky he is to have a mom like me. You have no idea how that makes me feel and how it lifts my spirits. I am constantly questioning whether or not I am doing the right thing for my son. To have someone who doesn’t even know me take the time to notice and be that observant is commendable. Dr. Guyer even told me at my son’s last visit that I was a good mom. You have no idea how those few words from someone like him made me feel. Not only did he tell me I was a good mom, but he expressed concern over how I was holding up through all of this and asked me how I was doing. I am not even his patient! He was actually concerned about my stress level and encouraged me to do something for myself.
Lisa is also a very caring person. She is always so sweet. Obviously, patient care is her topmost priority. Although I have only talked to her a few times, she has given me some very good tips with respect to different types of drinking water and non-sugar sweeteners.
The approach that you and your staff takes to healing and well being is admirable. I am so thankful that I learned of your facility and honestly don’t know where we would be now if it wasn’t for Dr. Guyer and his staff. I discovered the Guyer Institute by accident. I wonder how many people out there could benefit from your services but don’t know you exist. When my son was really sick and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, I searched the Internet for holistic physicians in Indianapolis but never really found one. An acupuncturist on the Southside who sees may people said recalled a physician who used to work at St. Vincent’s Hospital, but then left to start his own wellness center, but couldn’t remember the name. I continued to ask different people familiar with natural healing, but no one mentioned the Guyer Institute.
Months later, my mother-in-law mentioned that a friend knew of a doctor with a wellness practice. She said they used to call him the “fair-haired wonder of St. Vincent’s” or something like that. She gave me the phone number for the Guyer Institute. I immediately set up an appointment for my son.
And to this day, I remain grateful for what you and your staff have done for my son and I. Thank you all!