My journey to Peak Men’s Health and Dr. Cheng started with a referral from RMA. After a couple of years of trying to conceive, my wife and I sought expert help and potential treatment to assist in our efforts to start a family. I first met with Dr. Cheng for a consult to establish any causes of my infertility.
Throughout my life, I was fortunate to always be in relatively good health. When it came time to start a family, I assumed the actual process would be easy and stress-free. I was still young and fit and always pictured myself with a child (or two or three) running around our backyard. Plus, given that my father had five children and my grandfather had three children, I couldn’t imagine my fertility as a limiting factor in starting my own family. I was forced to face the facts; something was amiss.
When Dr. Cheng and I first met, I explained my situation and my aspirations for having a family. After a few tests, he diagnosed me with bilateral varicoceles. I had never heard of the word “varicocele” before and certainly couldn’t spell it. But Dr. Cheng explained that it occurs with some frequency in men and could be the cause of my infertility. He suspected that the varicoceles raised the ambient temperature in my scrotum, thereby degrading sperm production.
Dr. Cheng delivered some good news along with this diagnosis. There was a straightforward surgery that could repair the varicocele and boost the chances of fathering a child. This was quite intimidating to me. I had not previously needed surgery before. The idea of undergoing a procedure under general anesthesia on a very sensitive area of my body scared me. Dr. Cheng recognized my concerns and gave me an overview of the procedure. He was patient and diligent in his conversations with me. It took me some time to decide to move forward with the varicocele repair surgery (including a conversation with Peak Men’s Health financial advisor, which explained the costs and splits between my insurance coverage and what I would pay out of pocket). When I was ready to move forward, I knew that I wanted Dr. Cheng to perform the surgery.
When I arrived at the surgical center, the nurse took me under her charge. She walked through the key next steps, clearly sensing my apprehension. Dr. Cheng arrived shortly thereafter for a final check-in and briefing. The anesthesiologist and second surgeon also came by to introduce themselves to me. It was comforting to see that the whole team was there, ensuring I was OK and ready for the next steps.
The surgery was a success. After waking up in the recovery room, the focus turned to post-operative care. I was told how to clean the incisions for the first few days and monitor for signs of infection. A couple of days later, Dr. Cheng’s nurse Diana called to check in with me and see how things were progressing. I was recovering fast and hopefully on the path to fatherhood.
My experience with Peak Men’s health was extremely positive. The whole team, from the doctors to the nurses to the office coordinators, were professional at all times and showed great bedside manner when I was at my weakest and most vulnerable time. Dealing with infertility is challenging on many levels; having the right team of healthcare professionals on your side is important. I am lucky to be in the care of Peak Men’s Health.
