MY ANOSMATIC LIFE

Happy New Year! 2025 was an interesting year. Can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store and continue reflecting on how far I’ve come on this journey. Last spring, I started seeing a new ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor. This past September, I finally requested my records from my other ENT doctor’s office, and it felt surreal. It was so unreal that I sent an email back in March 2025 asking that they send my records to the new ENT but never sent the authorization form. There was no sense of urgency but also the need to come to terms with everything—life, acceptance, and also seeing if my ENT was legitimately going to remain my ENT, and that has become true. After my former ENT’s office made attempts to fax 17 years’ worth of records, I ended up having to go to the office in person and pick up a vanilla folder with my name and “2007-Current” in black marker. I finally opened the envelope this past week and still have to give it to the new ENT’s office to make copies of it.

I’ve had the same ENT doctor for 17 years (since I lost my sense of smell in 2007) even during moving, all my life transitions, and traveling. He is the most absolute amazing, honest, caring doctor, and human who respected my autonomy. I could not imagine going through those past 17 years full of some of the most unbearable moments with another doctor. From two nasal polypectomies, CT scans, MRIs, many medications, and countless 30-45 minute two-way drive in-person appointments to trying a self-administered biweekly Dupixent shot that works, my former ENT doctor never gave up on trying to find a solution for me. My former ENT doctor did refer me once to another ENT doctor to explore other options after I refused to have a 3rd surgery, but I never followed up on that referral. Then I didn’t want to have to explain my history to another doctor, make a longer drive, and then set myself up for disappointment and hear surgery was the best option. I’ll never know what would have happened if I had followed up on that referral.

I never imagined having to find a new ENT doctor, but reality came when I moved. My new ENT doctor was recommended by a friend. The wait for an appointment as a new patient took less than a month. I really like my new ENT doctor: she’s funny, honest, very knowledgeable, and in no rush for an unnecessary procedure even though there is one polyp having a ball in my nose. We have a great doctor-patient relationship. She’s resourceful, connected, and on top of referrals, just like my former ENT doctor.

Here are four things I love about how it’s going so far:

1. On the first visit, my new ENT doctor told me that I’m an expert. This was after I gave her the rundown of my history. That felt so great and validating to hear.

2. She’s not in a rush to do a procedure. Everything looks fine.

3. She keeps it real and doesn’t sugarcoat anything, just like my old ENT doctor. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

4. My ENT doctor sometimes lets me look at the same screen she’s looking at while she’s putting a nasal scope inside my nose. It’s kind of weird but cool. I appreciate that she takes the time to explain it all to me. Unfortunately, I still have no clue what I’m really looking at even when it’s explained to me. It’s unreal how many times I ask for repetition when there’s a new word introduction since I neither know ENT terms nor am familiar with the nose anatomy, so then I need a definition for that terminology too. I literally learn something new every visit.

Having the right doctor matters and makes a difference in treatment and how a patient progresses on their journey. There’s nothing like having built rapport and trust in a doctor-patient relationship. I’m grateful to have had ENT doctors who have always made me feel seen and heard. My first ENT doctor set the bar, and my new one is already exceeding expectations. I went from a five-star to another five-star experience. Transitions and adapting to change aren’t always easy but can be an opportunity to build support and new relationships, find and learn something new, and focus on what we can control.