Glad to see Dr Rich cited here -
I am happy to add words of positive experience.
Other excellent women Doctors in Portland get mentioned too.
Those who help during a difficult time deserve a nod.
Having _disability_ interrupt my oh so vibrant 30s was not...fun.
Dr Rich was a caring person who used a rare tool i
n an uncommon treatment to help me improve -
so I could move on.
Phoebe Rich is a smart, soft-spoken, confident. gentle professional, willing to improvise to help her Clients. She is a lovely person who did not make staff hound me when my Workplace Insurer failed to pay Claims. Her office is in an enjoyable location - on NW 23rd, so I made our series of visits into mini-vacations. Who-hoo! You can do it, too.
The rest is for those who like gory details,
or who seek to understand and help others.
Many workers experience a chronic discomfort
called irritant-type dermatitis - caused by contact with NCR paper
in workplaces. Plenty of MDs, like my Doc at Kaiser, are competent to *quickly* diagnose what they saw going on - but most I saw could not do much more, except sell cortisone cream and sign an Employer note & Insurance form saying it was serious - enough to order me to stop work .
Those who don't go beyond treating symptoms, by only prescribing creams and months off work, are not really hearing us. Injured workers want to heal, and get back to work, not just accept chronic conditions.
They did recommend I seek out Dermatologists to find one who may try something different..but I should get used to chronic pain and expect permanent disability.
Dr Francine Storrs is impressive (diagnosis confirmation phase). An OHSU specialist in skin conditions, she quickly taught me what to do, and not do - to best manage into future years; and asked permission to use my case as a teaching object with Med Students. She had photos taken, & a group of Docs learned to note workplace impact by evidence: 5 or 6 colors of ink stained my red, bent, cracked and painful hands. I had not yet told her about my daily, rapid work in Criminal Case Files to try to help 40-60 Clients a day, at the Metro Public Defender. She could see - and said I was a hard worker.
I hate knowing that many public servants are still at risk of harm to their hands (and nervous systems) from daily contact with the chemical laden _sandpaper_ sold by the NCR Co. (does NCR care?? )
Dr Rich listened and helped, when most Docs said that I must leave my job and accept permanent disability. They prescribed pharmaceutical creams (and stinky tar), but didn't try anything else,
even when told the prescription didn't help. Extremely dis-empowering.
After 7 months, I had to agree that there was not enough improvement to return to work without daily discomfort and worsening symptoms, so I was left on my own, with no medical benefits or income. (This is too common..)
Thankfully, several things began to change,
and Dr Rich was part of it.
Another savvy woman (at the North Webster Disability Office) recommended that I create a plan to take charge of my own recovery and future, including to stress reduction through Chi Gong and alternative therapies to help me cope with the major transition that was happening.
I began to see a woman Naturopath who astounded me with the words: We will work to HEAL this. It was a very different goal, and a wonderful RELIEF just to hear the words - Heal. I had hope again.
I'd also gotten a referral to Dr Rich at the NW 23rd Westover Clinic, hearing good things from others. She is willing to try new approaches. Dr Rich had in her office an ugly machine not typically used for irritant type dermatitis. I'd been a test-bunny often before, so after hearing the risks, I was all for trying it. The GRENZ RAY machine looked like it came from the 1950's - and focused intense light on my hands in a series of treatments. Along with the changes I was making, due to Dr Storrs, the Naturopath, and the Social Worker's approach to educating a patient to take charge of their own recovery...I began to see improvement. I also got acupuncture; and shifted to heavy creams ONLY for relief (instead of lotions) as Dr Storrs taught me.
Had I not engaged actively in seeking healing, I might still be in great discomfort. I was ready - and jumped to action - when I read of a Native American traditional healing plant: _for dry, cracked skin that will not otherwise heal_ ... The Sword-leaf Plantain described and pictured in the book was growing on my curb! It worked a miracle overnight, closing open cracks on all 10 fingers - to begin a major recovery for my parched, bent, sore pinkies.
Dr Riches innovative treatment series was a gentle adjunct -I think an important part of the process of reaching an acceptable stasis, so I could resume nearly normal activities. See her - or Dr Storrs - if you face a skin challenge. read more
