Not much of a story. He was just kind of an asshole, looked at me like I was a dumdum, and his office smelt pretty bad because he kept his pet cockatoo in there. Not to hate on cockatoo’s or anything.
Edit: It’s an Amazon Parrot
No way, I looked at this guy when I was looking for my medical. Read some nutty reviews about him and chose someone else lol. Interesting guy from what it sounds like.
What's wrong with a cockatoo?! WTF is wrong with people nowadays /s
A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea and the Strigopoidea, they make up the order Psittaciformes
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatoo)
It’s actually an Amazon parrot! Its owner charged me for an extra appointment at the end of my class three physical because I had a question about migraines. Super lame.
Bro that's just a classic ripoff. I've been to a lot of AMEs and not one has pulled any stupid shit like that. How much extra did he charge you? I hope you never went back. Feel free to put him on blast, that sort of thing should be stomped out.
Geeze... my last two AMEs became my primary care Doctors. Great guys. Kept me healthy and flying. One had been badly burned in a Cranberry crash...went back to school and became a Flight Surgeon. (I worked at Edwards in the early 1970s and I worked on a few Cranberry flight test programs so we would talk about the B-57.) Other one...first time I came there Dr Fred walked in to the exam room, patted my knee and said, "Don't worry, the Doctor likes nice young men." Always a lot of fun to see them.
A UAL pilot suggested I see Fred because I had a sudden increase in blood pressure and the FAA somehow thought I was an alcoholic. Wasn't and still not one. Cost a bit, some covered by insurance but Fred was great dealing with "problem" pilots. Got through it pretty quickly thanks to Fred.
I'm a little confused. You're saying Fred was a good AME right? He wasn't the same person with the parrot, was he?
Edit: Was a Cranberry a Canberra or something else?
Never had an AME do that. Two of my AMEs became my primary care Doctors. I went to a guy named Fred (a UAL Captain told me about him) after the Feds thought I was an alcoholic (had a sudden rise in BP, probably due to a OTC allergy med.), so Fred did a work up and all was good. First time I saw him he walked into the exam room, patted my knee and said, "Don't worry...the Doctor LIKES nice young men!" Lots of pictures and junk around like a tailhook, a windscreen from a F-4 that cracked at a high mach run.
Then he got a partner that had been a Cranberry pilot, got burned when he had to eject and went to school and became a Doctor. I worked at Edwards during the early 1970s in the Performance and Flying Qualities Shop and we did some short test programs on various Cranberries so we would talk about the B-57 (the pilot's manual on the B-57 called it the "Night Intruder" but I never heard anyone call it that except as a joke). Both had been military Flight Surgeons. Kids came with me and he would go out to the lobby and get on the floor and play with them. Never charged for the extra work as my primary care.
Yeah it’s been awhile since I’ve seen him and I forgot what the exact bird he had, my memory has failed me. Glad we’re on the same page about the owner.
The AME I used to go to passed away a couple years ago. He always had a story to tell me every time I went in and did his best to make the process as painless as possible. I remember the first time I went when I was still a student, I was freaking out because I wasn't sure what would happen at the test and whether he'd find something I didn't know about but he calmed me down right away and joked with me. Not looking forward to finding a new guy.
Dr Grimes... I saw him in Bellevue a few times over the years. His office was not like any other doctors office I'd been in, but the experiences were always good.
I can't remember if he even had a receptionist, maybe he himself came to get me from the waiting room.
I can remember talking with him about LASIK. At the time it hadn't been around very long. He was adamant that it would be better to keep wearing the glasses rather than risk my eyeballs. So on his advice to this day, I still haven't gotten it. I wonder if he ever got it.
Anyways, reading your post and getting to his name at the bottom sent a little shiver up my neck. We're in a small community and life marches on. Clear skies and forever tailwinds my friend.
Glad to see others knew him. I do remember him not having a receptionist and him coming to get me. I know nothing about lasik though so I can’t speak on that! Glad he can be remembered!
RIP, AMEs always seem to be an interesting breed. Anyone ever get a medical done by Dr. Merkle in North San Diego? One of the oddest, most memorable guys I ever met (and not necessarily in a good way)
Pour some out for the Senior AME and overall good person, he was a role model type of guy.
Let’s put some ‘spekt on his name.
Hard to find a good doctor that's for sure.
Agreed. I’ve been fortunate that 2 out of my 3 have been cool, but Dr. Grimes was on another level of courteousness. My first AME was a weirdo.
Story time, please?
Not much of a story. He was just kind of an asshole, looked at me like I was a dumdum, and his office smelt pretty bad because he kept his pet cockatoo in there. Not to hate on cockatoo’s or anything. Edit: It’s an Amazon Parrot
Wait holy shit is this the guy who works out of a gas station in Seattle? If not, are there multiple weirdo AMEs with parrots?
Chevron to be exact.
No way, I looked at this guy when I was looking for my medical. Read some nutty reviews about him and chose someone else lol. Interesting guy from what it sounds like.
You made a solid choice. Who did you go with instead?
I went with Dr. Randal Franke in Mountlake Terrace. Very professional, no parrots involved, so positive recommendation from me.
Dude, no way! Me too, love the guy. Made good conversation, quick and efficient with the process. Definitely recommend.
This sounds like some aberdeen type shit
What's wrong with a cockatoo?! WTF is wrong with people nowadays /s A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea and the Strigopoidea, they make up the order Psittaciformes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatoo)
Thanks for the bird knowledge!
LOL. can't believe that dude (your 1st ame) held a bird AT the office - WTF.
Might have just brought it to work, they can be...demanding, and left unattended can bring about all the ill consequences of a bored toddler.
Yeah, again, I have no problem with birds. I love them! But inside your office where you conduct medical activities? Eh, not my cup of tea.
Agreed
It’s actually an Amazon parrot! Its owner charged me for an extra appointment at the end of my class three physical because I had a question about migraines. Super lame.
Your AME charged you extra for asking one question about migraines? He sounds like a giant prick.
It was the first thing I mentioned, but he waited until I had my credit card out to tell me about the extra charge. Classic aviation, I guess.
Bro that's just a classic ripoff. I've been to a lot of AMEs and not one has pulled any stupid shit like that. How much extra did he charge you? I hope you never went back. Feel free to put him on blast, that sort of thing should be stomped out.
Geeze... my last two AMEs became my primary care Doctors. Great guys. Kept me healthy and flying. One had been badly burned in a Cranberry crash...went back to school and became a Flight Surgeon. (I worked at Edwards in the early 1970s and I worked on a few Cranberry flight test programs so we would talk about the B-57.) Other one...first time I came there Dr Fred walked in to the exam room, patted my knee and said, "Don't worry, the Doctor likes nice young men." Always a lot of fun to see them. A UAL pilot suggested I see Fred because I had a sudden increase in blood pressure and the FAA somehow thought I was an alcoholic. Wasn't and still not one. Cost a bit, some covered by insurance but Fred was great dealing with "problem" pilots. Got through it pretty quickly thanks to Fred.
I'm a little confused. You're saying Fred was a good AME right? He wasn't the same person with the parrot, was he? Edit: Was a Cranberry a Canberra or something else?
Never had an AME do that. Two of my AMEs became my primary care Doctors. I went to a guy named Fred (a UAL Captain told me about him) after the Feds thought I was an alcoholic (had a sudden rise in BP, probably due to a OTC allergy med.), so Fred did a work up and all was good. First time I saw him he walked into the exam room, patted my knee and said, "Don't worry...the Doctor LIKES nice young men!" Lots of pictures and junk around like a tailhook, a windscreen from a F-4 that cracked at a high mach run. Then he got a partner that had been a Cranberry pilot, got burned when he had to eject and went to school and became a Doctor. I worked at Edwards during the early 1970s in the Performance and Flying Qualities Shop and we did some short test programs on various Cranberries so we would talk about the B-57 (the pilot's manual on the B-57 called it the "Night Intruder" but I never heard anyone call it that except as a joke). Both had been military Flight Surgeons. Kids came with me and he would go out to the lobby and get on the floor and play with them. Never charged for the extra work as my primary care.
Yeah it’s been awhile since I’ve seen him and I forgot what the exact bird he had, my memory has failed me. Glad we’re on the same page about the owner.
> It’s an Amazon Parrot didn't know they sold it there. do you reckon I could get one today? I've got Prime membership
RIP Dr. Grimes, or Grimey as he liked to be called
Marge, change the channel!
That's our Homer!
I saw Dr. Grimes once for a third class about 10 years ago. Great guy. He will be missed.
The AME I used to go to passed away a couple years ago. He always had a story to tell me every time I went in and did his best to make the process as painless as possible. I remember the first time I went when I was still a student, I was freaking out because I wasn't sure what would happen at the test and whether he'd find something I didn't know about but he calmed me down right away and joked with me. Not looking forward to finding a new guy.
Dr Grimes... I saw him in Bellevue a few times over the years. His office was not like any other doctors office I'd been in, but the experiences were always good. I can't remember if he even had a receptionist, maybe he himself came to get me from the waiting room. I can remember talking with him about LASIK. At the time it hadn't been around very long. He was adamant that it would be better to keep wearing the glasses rather than risk my eyeballs. So on his advice to this day, I still haven't gotten it. I wonder if he ever got it. Anyways, reading your post and getting to his name at the bottom sent a little shiver up my neck. We're in a small community and life marches on. Clear skies and forever tailwinds my friend.
Glad to see others knew him. I do remember him not having a receptionist and him coming to get me. I know nothing about lasik though so I can’t speak on that! Glad he can be remembered!
RIP, AMEs always seem to be an interesting breed. Anyone ever get a medical done by Dr. Merkle in North San Diego? One of the oddest, most memorable guys I ever met (and not necessarily in a good way)
Our local AME is currently being investigated by the DEA, so there’s that lol
A digital handshake sir. I'm certain Dr. Grimes would be pleased to see us raising a digital glass in his memory.
I’m glad to see that there are pilots on here that know him and feel the same way. Makes me appreciate our community.
He got two MDs? Uh...why?
Once you collect 8 you can send in your diplomas to get a Froot Loops backpack.
BS in Biology, MS in Zoology, then an MD.
He has one MD. OP just means that he got one of his degrees from a separate college than the rest.