Patient Experience
I'd been to a couple of doctors about this constant fatigue and weird joint pain. They'd just shrug and suggest more sleep. Dr. Collaco was different. She actually sat and listened to this long list of vague complaints I had, asked a ton of questions I hadn't been asked before. She ordered some specific blood tests nobody else had thought of. Turns out it was something pretty rare, an autoimmune thing. She explained it all in a way that finally made sense, without making me feel like a medical mystery. She just... figured it out.
Had to get a mole checked and removed. Honestly, I was nervous at first—anything involving 'biopsy' sounds scary. But Dr. Collaco made it so straightforward. She showed me exactly what she was going to do, the whole thing took maybe ten minutes, and she kept chatting about my dog to distract me. The parking lot was packed that day, but the procedure itself was the easiest part. Got the results back fast, all clear, and the scar is barely there.
The clinic itself was calm, which helped a lot. I was pretty anxious. The person at the front desk saw I was fidgeting and offered me a water while I waited. Even the nurse who took my vitals was really kind, just had a nice way about her. It felt like the whole place, not just the doctor, was set up to make you feel a bit more at ease. It's a small thing, but it matters when you're not feeling great.
What I remember most is how she talked to my elderly mom. Mom gets confused easily and is hard of hearing. Dr. Collaco didn't rush. She leaned in, spoke clearly, and repeated things without a hint of annoyance. She'd explain something to me, then turn to my mom and say the same thing in simpler words, just to include her. That patience and respect meant the world to us. You don't see that everywhere.