This Dr. saved my life. No, I'm not exaggerating and no, this review isn't being paid for. I actually came across this site while looking for my old Dr (Dr. Siva) because I miss her terribly, and the new Dr. I have had, for the last few yrs just isn't cutting it lately.
This is going to be a long story,so I apologize; but I feel it should be shared. Back when I was 22 (about 5 yrs ago) I was really, very sick. It literally happened overnight. I had my dad (who also had her as a Dr. for a period in time & also speaks incredibly highly of her!) call my doctor's office, of course they were booked (and when this place is booked, it's booked there is no "shuffling around". I was incredibly sick (probably should have gone to the e.r but I honestly, don't like hospitals, & at the time had a big fear of them.)
Anyway, my dad (because I was so sick I could barley speak) tried talking to the lady & getting me an appointment. He tried, begging, and pleading with the woman. She said there was nothing she could do. So my dad called back again and asked if he could speak to the Dr. at least (he figured maybe she could call something in based on my symptoms) incredibly Dr. Siva called my dad back within a 1/2 hr (on her lunch break) my dad explained what was going on. This woman had been my Dr from the time I was 18-23, so she knew me pretty well. As soon as my Dad told her, "It's the sickest, I've seen her since she was born, including when she had mono at 13" Dr. Siva asked if I was personally complaining (might sound strange but like I said she knew me well.) my dad told her "Yea, actually she is, she asked me to call " the next word out of her mouth were "Victoria isn't much of a complainer at all, ok bring her in as soon as possible, don't worry about making an appointment, I'll take care of it, just come here before the end of the day."
Cut to about an hr and a half later. I was sitting (barley, more like laying) in the waiting office. I got called in (I later found out that it was originally Dr. Siva's early day, & she should have left an hr before I arrived, but she stayed later.) Well, low and behold I had DOUBLE PNEUMONIA!!! One of the worst cases, see had ever seen. She quickly started getting paperwork ready for the hospital etc. Well, like I said, I had a major fear of hospitals (I was also just promoted to manager at my job & was working over 60 hrs a week at the time.) Looking back it was horrible, but I outright refused to go to the hospital.
Dr. Siva was not happy, but knew it was expected. "Victoria, you have double pneumonia!, this is not just a bad case of the flu" "Both of your lungs are infected!" she exclaimed "In addition to that you normally run a really low-temp (the ONLY Dr. who EVER takes this major fact into consideration when I feel sick btw) normally your about a 97.3-97.6. Do you know what your temperature is now? 103.7! and you had Tylenol today!"
After about 10 min of her trying to convince me, that I needed to go to the hospital and me still refusing, (which looking back I feel SO bad about) she finally asked me if I had her permission to talk to my Dad for a few min. A few min later after my Dad (who had been thoroughly angry with me for refusing to go to the hospital & was considering dragging me there against my will kicking& screaming with what little strength I had left) came back looking more like a really worried parent, instead of an angry one.
Somehow they (really Dr. Siva) came up with a "game plan." Dr. Siva stated that she really just wanted me better, & that me kicking& screaming was probably going to make my illness worse. She agreed that I was allowed get better at home, but I literally had to promise & swear that I would follow every single one of her rules, or she would "look the other way" while my Dad brought me to the hospital. "Yes your 22, I know you are technically an adult but you don't realize how serious this is."
Her rules were: I must stay in bed indefinitely (I didn't have to sleep, but I had to relax & rest at all times) I was literally only allowed up to go to the bathroom. I had to take ALL of my medication & NEVER miss even a single dose and at the same times each day. I had to drink lots of juice/gatorade & water (I wasn't hungry at ALL during this time.) I had to promise at least 6-8 cups a day, even if I didn't feel like it. I also wasn't allowed to go to work for a few weeks, at the very least (she called my job & wrote me a note for work) & I wasn't allowed to answer any work related phone calls for the first 2 weeks (I had a 24 on- call manager job at a group home for disabled adults, If I wasn't there working 60hrs a week, I was constantly getting flooded w/ phone calls from staff members ranging from "So and So refuses to put any clothes on & wants to walk out of the house naked, he said he hates us all & will only talk to you" to actual emergency situations that I had to handle , my phone actually rang twice while in her office.)
She also called my house to check up on me quite a few times (which she said she would be doing) to make sure I was still resting in bed & that I wasn't taking work related phone calls and stressing my body out. She also made a joke for my Dad to hide my car keys (which he actually ended up doing, after the 3rd night when he caught me trying to "sneak" out so I could run out to my office at work. I felt like I was 16 again, but because of her genuinely caring about me, I actually made a full recovery a little over a month after.
She was the only Dr. who would find ways to work with me, rather then against me. Who would actually listen to me & take my fears or wants/needs into consideration. I actually respected that she was "one step ahead of me" because honestly, if i had been left up to my own devices I would have probably "forgotten' to take my antibiotics most