Rex B wrote:Thanks TAM, he's on the short list.
You're welcome.
Regarding the 'pro-2nd Amendment' part..... I honestly have no idea what his sentiment are in that regard. I know that he is a religious man (Catholic) and believes that God has given him a gift to heal. I am a religious person myself (Baptist, in a sort of roundabout way), and I appreciate a physician who has the good sense to confess that a Higher Power guides his hands, intuition, and intelligence, and that those things are a gift, which can be taken away just as easily as granted by an Almighty God. It lends and sort of humility, and it makes him genuinely care about his patients because, even though his practice is a business, and we've talked about that, each patient is an individual entrusted to him, and that is a trust he takes seriously.
I know that when I was last there for a consult about the previous week's blood test results, I was asked to step on a scale and had not come dressed expecting to have to do that, and I was strapped as all get out. I mentioned to the nurse that I didn't want to weigh anything that wasn't "me." She said, "that's OK, just empty your pockets on the counter here," (I was carrying Gock 19 and a spare mag). I answered that "the problem is, it wouldn't be entirely legal for me to do that," and looked her in the eye. There was a moment of confusion on her face, and then the lights came on, she smiled and said, "OH! Well never mind then, step right this way" and ushered me into an exam room.
Dr. Del never mentioned it to me, so I don't know if she mentioned it to him or not. But most times when I'm in there, I'm carrying a Maxpedition Fatboy-S Versipack, and it is desert tan and very tactical looking. I've never been asked why I carry a bag in there, or what's in it. If they object, they are very discreet about it. In any case, Dr. Del is Filipino, and for what it's worth, I've never met an older Filipino man who wasn't both religious, conservative, and a gun owner (the first AR-10 owner I ever met was a Filipino guy I worked with in Los Angeles). I know that is stereotyping, but I have a lot of respect for Filipino culture because it includes a long and respected warrior tradition.
Anyway, if I wasn't comfortable with him on the 2nd Amendment thing, I wouldn't stay with his practice.