Being One of Chicago’s Top Docs Is The Second Best Thing

 My cardiologist has been named by Chicago Magazine as one of Chicago’s top doctors. This is what the magazine had to say about him:

GARY PINELESS  Coronary artery disease; heart failure. Highland Park.

O.K. That doesn’t tell you much. But the selection process was impressive:

Chicago’s list of the area’s top doctors was compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., which publishes a number of guides to the country’s outstanding physicians. Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Using mail and telephone surveys, as well as electronic ballots, researchers ask physicians and the medical leadership of leading local hospitals to identify highly skilled, exceptional doctors. They follow up with a careful screening of each doctor’s educational and professional experience before finally selecting those physicians most highly regarded by their peers.

See. I told you.

He has been my doctor for over 20 years– which just makes both of us old.  He has doctored me through many things. The most memorable medical emergency being my un- heart attack a few years ago when the ER at a respected hospital told me I had had one and sent me to the critical care ward the night before I was leaving on vacation. I immediately called Gar (rhymes with bear) and told him to ignore all other patients and to get his ass down here. He did. (It is that kind of dedication that makes you one of the area’s best doctors.) After reviewing the test results, he had the hospital redo one of the lab tests, told me that I had not had a heart attack but probably by now needed a vacation so I should go home and pack. I did.

There is more to the story of Gary and me– I never call him Dr. Pineless. I think that’s because he was 10 when we first met and being no Doogie Hauser he was in the 5th grade at the time. One of my best friends ever since. And one of the funniest, if not the funniest people I have met in my life. Verifiable.

So what could be better than being named a top doc in a major magazine? Could it be the birth of his first son and the pictures I took of the bris? Could it be that I was like a brother to him and that his mom liked me more than his actual brother? No.

It was his wedding day. No offence to his wife but she was only reason # 3 that this day was so special. Reason #2. I took Gary out to breakfast the morning of the wedding. Boy, was he nervous. He calmed down once I reassured him that I would never leave him.

Reason #1. One of the top 3 wedding toasts of all time was given that evening. No, not by his brother Hal, the supposed “best man”, or his J.R. Ewing impression. No, it was 5 minutes and 20 seconds of pure joyousness and humor voiced by a master story teller. Yes, I mean me. (Would have been quite the let down if it wasn’t don’t you think?) If I ever get around to having the video transferred to electronic format I will post it for all to see and hear . In the meantime you will just have to come to the house if you want to partake of the magic.

Yes, Gar (rhymes with mare) and I have many wonderful memories. We will continue to have them as long as one of the best doctors in Chicago keeps my heart beating.

p.s. I was not getting mushy with that last line. Remember he’s a cardiologist.