Dr. T Venkateswara Rao

My stomach issues had been brushed off by a couple of other doctors as just stress. Dr. Rao at Apollo Kakinada actually sat and listened to my whole, messy history. He ordered some specific tests others hadn't, and it turned out to be a tricky gallbladder problem that wasn't showing the usual signs. He explained it in a way that finally made sense. I felt heard for the first time in months.

I needed a minor cyst removed, and honestly, I was pretty nervous about the whole thing. Dr. Rao's team scheduled it quickly. The procedure itself was over before I knew it—the local anesthetic pinched for a second, but that was the worst of it. Follow-up was straightforward. It was just a simple thing, but they made it easy.

The parking at Apollo was completely full the day of my appointment, which stressed me out. But once I got inside, the front desk people were really calm and helped me sort it. The nurse who took my vitals noticed I was anxious and cracked a joke about the weather. It's those little things from the staff that made a long wait feel less frustrating.

You know how some doctors talk at you while staring at a screen? Dr. Rao isn't like that. When he comes in, he looks you in the eye and asks how you're *really* doing. He has this quiet, steady way of talking that doesn't feel rushed. I had a lot of questions about my dad's medication, and he drew little diagrams on a notepad until I got it. Felt like he was talking to a person, not just a patient.