The Reverend Dr. Steak and I have been patients at LMFM for many years now. This is a small…read morepractice located in the 'heart' of downtown Narberth, PA, near the movie theater. Parking is in a private lot at the rear of their office building and it's free.
The Rev. has some standard chronic health issues - cholesterol, blood pressure. He for many years primarily saw Dr. Stallkamp, whom he liked very much. Dr. Stallkamp left the practice a year ago to go into research, which initially made him sad. Then, he met Dr. Lytton.
I can honestly say Dr. Lytton saved his life. Furthermore, she is the ONLY doctor that has gotten through his thick Southern skull to where he's finally enacting some serious lifestyle changes.
You see, the Reverend is indeed a fully grown Southern man. The four basic food groups of the Southern Man would be fat, salt, meat and sugar. This is why so many Southern men don't get to be people "of a certain age".
Despite years, I mean years, people, of cajoling, nagging, begging, yelling, refusing, etc, on my part, this man would not make changes in that diet when things like the cholesterol and the blood pressure and the weight started to go awry. I have snuck more Splenda and Boca in this man than he realizes in the name of true love. Still, the car would be full of soda bottles and fast food wrappers and when left alone, it was fry an egg in butter and bacon grease time.
It didn't help that his compliance with taking his medicine to help control these things was spotty at best. That, again, despite my best nagging and cajoling and such. You may think I'm an ineffective nagger. I am not. He is just as stubborn as a jacka**, so in him I feel I have met my match some days. When he doesn't want to do something, good luck getting him to do it. Even denying him my 'feminine wiles' failed to change him. That's DEFCON 5 nagging, people.
Years with Dr. Stallkamp, as great as she was, failed to enact change. That doesn't mean she wasn't a great doctor, she was and is. She just could not get through his thick skull. It took Dr. Lytton taking over his care, taking a good look at him and putting him in the hospital because his BP was so out of control then sitting him and I down together and giving us not only a stern talking-to but recipes, guidance on food choices, and yes, encouragement to get him to change.
This man in 8 weeks has subsequently lost 18 pounds. He eats mostly vegetarian. When he goes out he looks for good choices like chicken grilled vs. beef. Yes, on Easter he smoked a brisket for the family and he had two pieces (and yes, it was mighty good) but that was it. He has grilled pork chops occasionally. He rarely drinks soda. He has not missed a dose of his medications in two months. He looks better, feels better and actually is doing that on his own, making his changes.
So, yeah, the staff may not always be pleasant. Dr. Lytton does present as a little flighty and scattered and odd. Don't let that fool you, the woman knows her stuff. When you go there, you have as much time as you need with the doctor, not 5 or 10 minutes. Lastly, they care. Dr. Lytton has called at 10 PM and on weekends to give test results and to talk with him and to check in on him.
Is the practice perfect? No. The staff is rude. Sometimes you wait (like that never happens at a doctor's office). However, I'll take rude staff and sitting in a waiting room all day long when it means a longer life with my love. Wouldn't you?
