Not Dead Yet !: counting to ten... again

Was it just last week that I believed that I had finished with the radiation treatment clinic? Until DrH (radiation oncologist) said, Get an MRI and see me before Christmas...

I emailed DrT (the oncologist "managing" my treatment). She replied (via her secretary), that DrH "would be wanting to follow up with you regarding and symptoms or side effects from radiotherapy. This is usual procedure for specialists to follow up patients after treatment and to monitor other cancer diagnoses."

"Symptoms or side-effects"?!

I've mentioned -- several times -- to both DrT and DrH -- three specific side-effects: diarrhoea; fatigue; pins & needles on the soles of my feet.

From each doctor, when I say "diarrhoea" the response is, "Oh, nausea, yes." NO, NOT NAUSEA. I have NOT had nausea. I just shit -- at reasonable times, in reasonable quantities -- but it has been the consistency of soup. So these doctors say, "So, nausea?" Because "nausea" is on their checklist. Deb says to each doctor, The ED treatment included stuff that would destroy all gut bacteria. This seems relevant. The doctors ignore it. It's not on their checklist.

Have I mentioned that DrT hands out typed notes and checklists that are dated as 2005? And at least one was written -- in 2005 -- by another doctor. Advances in medical science? Not in this clinic.

Fatigue? Yes, that's on every checklist. It's expected, it's allowed. We nod and say, yes, fatigue, as expected.

Then I mention pins & needles. Once or twice I have said, Peripheral neuropathy. The response -- from either of these doctors -- has been... nothing. No sign that they have even heard me. It's not on their checklist so my actual, real, is this a worry side-effect -- has been completely ignored.

So one of these specialists wants to "follow up with you regarding and symptoms or side effects". Why bother? Neither listens. Neither is interested. And I'm not interested in "follow up" where actual -- real -- side-effects will continue to be ignored. I may as well talk to a brick wall.

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On the bright side: When I mentioned pins & needles to the urologist -- she actually heard the question! Could be a squeezed nerve where I cut, she said. That makes sense in the groin -- the area where she cut -- and yes, a section of my groin is a bit numb. A doctor who listens! What a great doctor :-)

The numb feet, though, appeared before the groin surgery. One good surgeon does not balance the blank I'm-not-listening of the two oncologists.

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DrH also told me to get an MRI scan. I ask DrT's secretary -- I've given up pretending that DrT is going to answer -- I ask, Will this MRI suit the needs of all three doctors who seem to want an MRI? I attach DrH's request form to that email. "Yes, we can get the MRI reports etc", she replies. Of course that's not answering my question.

There are scribbles on the MRI request form provided by DrH. Is that defining an area to be scanned? Is it defining the area that all three specialists need scanned? Only DrH wants a scan before Christmas... will the other two send me back -- maybe twice -- just to suit their own schedules?

Well, I think, I'm certainly not going to get answers that make any sense. May as well just book an MRI scan and hope for the best. I phone the MRI scan company.

While I wait on interminable hold, I look more closely at the request form. It has someone else's name on it.

DrH was talking to me. Addressing me by name. Peeled off a sticker for another patient and stuck it on the form. Helloo-oo... anyone home?!

From that point on, I leave all organising to Deb. She phones, makes an appointment. Goes into the clinic to get *my* name on the request form. I count... very very slowly... to ten.

I'll meet with DrH then DrT. If the one MRI scan keeps everyone happy, I'll just smile and nod. No need to ask questions... no use... because no answers will be available. Except for the standard, Here is an answer that some other doctor prepared more than ten years ago.

I have no intention of making further appointments with DrH. He doesn't listen. DrT doesn't communicate -- not with me, not with DrH. I may as well be ignored by one doctor rather than two.

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... eight... nine... ten.

And tomorrow, Deb & I go away for a few days. Relaxing by the beach, driving through the forest, perhaps finding a geocache or two. Eating at gourmet restaurants... or... fish & chips for dinner every night :-)

We're both looking forward to getting away from it all.

And I'm hoping that, for the rest of this week, there will be absolutely *nothing* that I feel is worth posting to this blog... If I do post, I hope it will be along the lines of, We are having a great time and this is what we are doing...

If there are no posts at all -- just believe that we are having a very pleasant... and very relaxing... good time away from home, the city... and away from any and all medical specialists.