I’ve spent quite a bit of time in various doctors’ offices lately. Mainly that’s because I have a two-year-old who attends day care several days a week and so, naturally, she picks up most bugs du jour. (Although, truth be told, she’s been sick much less frequently than most toddlers I know — even those who stay home every day with mama.)
But on top of the regular schedule of annual checkups, I myself have had to go to the doctor quite a few times in the last 12 months. I’ve already chronicled my Christmastime bout with the Coxsackie virus; then there was a badly infected tooth that required rounds of treatment with various specialists. Currently, I’m healing from a corneal abrasion. While I’ve accidentally fallen asleep while wearing my contact lenses dozens of times in the last 20 years, for some reason, this time I scratched my eye — badly.
When I began feeling some irritation in my eye, I went to the Mid-Hudson Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, where I was treated with antibiotic eye drops; but the condition worsened dramatically overnight. Terrible pain, rapidly blurring vision, and endless tears had me pretty shaken up by the morning. A quick visit back to my regular doctor resulted in an immediate transfer to a specialist. It wasn’t until this kind and gentle M.D. reassured me that the pain was normal — “most people don’t know that the cornea is one of the most sensitive tissues in the body,” he told me — but more importantly, that my vision would fully return over the next few days, that I was able to relax.
So how do you choose a physician? Our annual Top Doctors list is a great place to start. This year, 145 doctors, in more than 35 specialties, made the grade. That means these M.D.s received the ultimate nod of approval from their own peers — both other doctors and hospital administrators. That’s quite a ringing endorsement. And that’s why, even in this Internet age, you’ll want to keep this issue front and center on your coffee table, so that the next time you scratch your eye, or quickly need to find a doctor for any reason, you can choose from the cream of the crop.
Also in this issue is our annual roundup of the many fairs and festivals that make the summer season in the Hudson Valley so much fun. So from Shakespeare and outdoor concerts to award-winning theater (not to mention award-winning milk shakes at the Dutchess County Fair), it’s time to grab your calendar and make some plans.
Happy summer,
Olivia J. Abel
Editor In Chief
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