Tuesday, July 28, 2009

rip dr schmelzle


this is dr david schmelzle, my beloved pediatrician from fallbrook. when i lived in murrieta i would drive the 20 minutes or so to his office because he was just excellent (and because there was no decent healthcare in temecula). he was kind, but firm, direct but compassionate. he knew his stuff. you felt safe in his care and i listened carefully to every word of advice he gave me. i took my newborns to him, took my tweens there too. as a mother, the pediatrician you choose becomes such an integral part of your life...the one who you could ultimately go to to save your childs life. 

and we always got the sticker on the way out....

he passed away sunday. he apparently had a heart attack. information relayed to emma from a long lost friend from fallbrook. she got a random text, telling her the tragic information. i listened to her tell me the news...stunned. i couldnt stop thinking about him...his family, his patients...i was sad. still am.

he was a great family man too. 5 kids and a long, good marriage.

so a big thank you to dr schmelzle for caring for my kids and many, many others. 
hope the angels are taking care of you now.
maybe you can care for all the little children up there.
i am sure they would like that.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, googled Dr Schmelzle this am to see if obit was up yet; found your blog. I spent all of yesterday emotional, been with Dr. S for 18 years, drove from T too, he took each of my babies from my gyn into his hands and has cared for us in the way you described. What a loss for his wife Kathy, those 5 children he was so proud of and I believe 5 grandbabies.

I finally figured out last night why it hit me so hard, he was there in my most vulnerable moments, when as a mommy I was scared about whatever disease or injury my child was enduring. His competence and compassion reassured and comforted me, hence he wiggled his way into this mommy's heart. Our family was forever blessed with a true "family physician" who cared for us, remembered our history and counseled us. Thank you Dr. Schmelzle.

Ollie Girl! Custom Boutique said...

Just couldn't believe it myself. We just saw him last week for my 16 year old daughter's dislocated arm. My daughter loved him and thought he was much like her own grandfather. He just had a way of making you feel at ease and not overly reactive. We will miss him and his service he provided our family. Our prayers and love go out to his family and loved ones. He will be dearly missed!
~ The Nunez Family

Anonymous said...

My name is Debbie and I am a medical sales representative. I called on Dr. Schmelzle for many years and cried when I heard the news. I have worked with hundreds of physicians over the years and Dr. Schmelzle was TOP NOTCH and stood out above the rest. He was ALWAYS professional, calm, respectful, sharp, on top of the latest research, cared deeply about his patients and LOVED his family. I will miss him and I feel for his family...what a huge loss.

ariannemead said...

I too googled Dr. Schmelzle today to see if I could find information on his untimely death and found your blog. I phoned the office yesterday morning for an appt and heard the news from a very upset receptionist. My son is three and we have been there since he was born. What a wonderful Dr. he was and a great man. Always talking about his daughters and grandchildren, his face lighting up ! Even though I had two older children, he treated me like a first time mom. Every milestone visit, he would so carefully go through what I should expect in the upcoming months with my little guy. His face held such expression and detail for each item. Even though he probably had to repeat himself over and over each day, your visit with Dr. Schmelzle seemed like his only appointment of the day. He loved his job every second of it. He will be truly missed in our home, our community and our hearts. May he rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

I too, learned today of Dr. Schmelzle's passing...I first met him when I took my first born to him in Oceanside when he practiced with Tri City Pediatrics. Both my children sufferred from asthma when young. As he had direct experience dealing with his own children and asthma, I felt very comfortable having him as their pediatrician. I also had the priveledge of working with him at Tri City Hospital...I was an operating room nurse, and back then, the c-sections were performed in the operating room, not labor and delivery. As time progressed, and he left Oceanside for Fallbrook, I never forgot him. As my firstborn grew,became an adult and moved to Fallbrook, and had her first, second, and third child, she was lucky enough to also have Dr. Schmelzle as her pediatrician. Just as he had become such a wonderful physician and friend to my family, so he became the same to my daughter's family.
We all thank you Dr. Schmelzle, for your compassion and care throughout your profession. And our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Kathy and the family.

Jeanne Goss, RN

Anonymous said...

....."Dr. Dave" Schmelzle....
Some friendships never change or lessen , in spite of time or distance...& are always Only a phone call away...to be picked up again as if we last saw them, only yesterday! We've been blessed to have those kinds of friends in our life, from way back in our Tucson days, when we were ALL newlyweds ( in fact 3 of us 'couples' were married on the same day, in different states & celebrated our anniversaries Together)... when Dave was 'just' a med student & Kath & I were new, young nurses, all working in peds together ~ when we were all poor, struggling idealists! We had our meager meals, vacations & children ' together '...we learned from each other, shared Amish friendship bread batter/Neil Diamond/Cat Stevens/word games/books & Dave's JOKES!. We were mentored by each other & shared joys, tears & grief together. We suffered the losses of our beloved &/or frustrating patients, the friendships & support of /& TO their families & personal losses as well.
Kathie & Dave & Sandy & John ( ...along with Pam & Dr. Terry, Ruth & Bill, Betty & Bill, Penny & Robbie... ) will always be among those dearest of friends, in our hearts...& now with Dave's passing...in our memories, as well.
Kathie & Dave.... & Sandy & John have always been those kind of friends, where time & distance never changed our friendships over all these years. We shared SO many meals, really Wonderful times, vacations, children, tragedies & losses, Great Love, & MANY memorable patients/famiies & life experiences. Kathie & I were like struggling sister soulmates, back then...she & Sandy were my Head Nurses & I was in awe of & inspired by, them. John was the first person to ever know I was (FINALLY!) pregnant with Noelle...& later, her 1st caretaker... when he lined up all the high chairs ( his boys & my Noelle's) on his patio (easier to clean up the spaghetti ! )...for feeding time at the zoo...while Sandy,Kathie & I were 'on shift' at the hospital & he had the eve. shift at the lab, later in the day!
( Dr. Terry even made 'housecalls' for the first well baby visits... from 36 hrs. after Noelle was born... because I wanted her home in time for Christmas eve & Christmas day! ) Kath & Dave, took us on a very, VERY 'delayed' road trip with them, through the Yuma desert, in a pea-soup green, old Toyota, with no A/C... when the rotating time & temp clock, on a bank that we passed, were BOTH sides...reading 1:07(a.m.)/107degrees !
Dave is most memorable to me...as "Mister Rogers" ...his performance of a celebrity 'roast'...ours, were children of the '70s!

Kathie & Dave have always been 2 of the most remarkable, honest, down to earth people I know.
They are two of the MOST compassionate, spiritual & loving people I have EVER been blessed to have known.
I have tried to teach my 4 children, to measure their success in life NOT by accolades,professions, degrees or salaries...but by how you have touched the lives of others, along the way. My life has been blessed & richer, for having passed Dave & Kathie, along the way.

I couldn't have chosen better Godparents for Noelle & I only wish for wish HER , a life & love, like theirs.

Antonio C. said...

Dr. Schmelzle was a wonderful man and I'm so thankful you posted about him in your blog.

I found out last night and was so saddened to hear the news. I pray for his family and loved ones.

He was a true professional and an extremely kind and compassionate human being. I went to him for 18 years.

My family and I trusted him completely and he leaves behind a beautiful and terrific family.

God Bless you Dr. Schmelzle...I consider myself blessed and fortunate to have know you. Thank you for being such a wonderful man.