33 replies to this topic

[pammartin]

Well if it was not official before, is really is now.  I am boring.  I went to Pittsburgh for PCR and hematologist visit, labs before, in the office at 10:30.  My appointment was for 11:00.  Sat there until 11:35 called to the room, the usual, weight, blood pressure, pulse and then the 'news'.  Doctor had left for an early lunch, so if I had any questions, he would return around 1 or so, if I were inclined to wait.  hhhhmmmmmm  Husband takes off work, pull boy from school, travel 2 hours one way to have my questions written down on the back of a lab sheet and talk to the nurse.  I thought when my numbers were getting better in January I was boring, my first appointments when he talked transplant were over 1/2 hour.  Then in January it was about 12 minutes, this time lunch was more pressing.

Funny thing about this appointment.  You all told me it would come, you all told me I would get there, but I was skeptical.  You were right.  I didn't worry before, I wasn't even angry when I was told the professional left the building, instead mildly amused I think, about two weeks out for PCR results, and so far that isn't even a concern.  I have leukemia and I cannot forget that, but it does not have to play a part in every moment of my life nor does wasting time worrying about possibilities make the results any different. 

Anyway, I am so officially boring the doctor doesn't think giving me the 15 minute appointment is worth the effort.  I should be angry, annoyed, upset; instead it was, and still is kind of funny.

I hope you all become very boring to your doctors as well; boring, is not always a bad thing.

Pam

[janne]

Seriously .....I would like the name of your doctor and his address. I would like to send him a letter...and it won't be a commendation for good behavior.

[LivingWellWithCML]

Wow, thanks for sharing your experience.  I want to be boring *and*get my 15 minutes.

[Susan61]

Hi Pam:  I lost something along the way here.  Are you saying you traveled 2 hours to see a Hematologist just to get a PCR done.  I see a Oncologist/Hematologist, and I do not have to go see anyone else.  Did I miss a old posting of yours, but anyhow the treatment you got should not be ignored.  I would make sure its known by somebody who will do something about it, and would not be going back there again.  You went through a lot of trouble to make this appointment with your husband taking off from work etc.  You were not treated in a professional manner by any means.

[pammartin]

Hi Susan,

No, you didn't miss a post, it was time for the PCR test, but mine is scheduled the same day I see dr, about a two hour drive, so I get the labs done, see the dr for the 15 minutes and then they call me with results in 10 - 14 days and send hard copy to me in the mail.  I am always scheduled for PCR half hour before appointment, but am usually there an hour early, if the lab is busy sometimes it cuts the time close and all doc's today have that 15 minute rule, if you are not there 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment, you have to reschedule.  So I get labs, in office by 10:30 taken back to exam room around 11:30 (app was at 11) and I saw nurse.  She said dr left, and had something to do and was going to grab lunch, if I had any questions I could wait around till 1.  I was not waiting, I had her write down my few questions, said to call me when he decided to take time to answer (sarcasm intended).  But the kicker is I had overheard the front desk person talking to another doc from transplant wing, she wanted to confer with my doc about patient.  She was angry, said if he is going to leave, I wish he would tell me before he left the hospital, she wanted to talk to him and was not speaking softly when she expressed her opinion of him leaving.  The front desk person said, 'he reviewed last patient's chart before lunch, there was nothing significant, so he decided to run some errands and be back after lunch'.  I was last patient. Guess  I am insignificant, not a bad thing to be to a transplant doctor.  I have tried to become angry, I have tried to be upset, but you know what?  I have the PCR done, I had some questions and I will be looking for answers, even if I have to drive them nuts, nothing serious, just little things, and I already know what I am going to do in July.  I go see him July 13 (another Friday 13, this will be my 3rd one this year to see this doc)  They call to verify appointment.  I am going to do the same.  I am going to send a letter and then call the day before, stating my husband has taken off work, my son is with me, we drive 2 hours one way to see a specialist we pay for and the co pay isn't cheap.  You all want to remind me of the appointment, I am going to make sure I remind them that he is supposed to be there also.  I am still kind of laughing about it, I guess the absurdness of the entire situation hits my funny bone.  Only me (and maybe Billie) would go see a specialist only to be snubbed by the person because we are no longer interesting.    Go figure, I would be the odd ball!

[pammartin]

Billie,

sssssshhhhhhhhh you aren't supposed to tell people I am less than boring, except to my doctor.  Those stories are supposed to be secret. 

[pammartin]

Hi Dan

Boring and 15 minutes is what we are to receive, and expect.  Guess my expectations were a bit high yesterday.

[pammartin]

Billie,

guilty as charged, I fear I am my son when it comes to telling. I swear when I do something ridiculous or unintelligent I will tell no one, by the end of the day I have told anyone that wants to listen and a few who don't really care.

Drink on my friend, you might as well I can't!

[Judy2]

Hi Pam,

I saw the little emoticon after your Friday the 13th comment. Are you having "stomach issues" again?

We will talk later.

xo,

Judy

[mikefromillinois]

Sometimes people treat us the way we ALLOW them to treat us.  If I made an appointment with a professional that I was PAYING to be my "life preserver" in my fight against cancer - and that person stood me up like that....I would drop him like a hot crack pipe.  Seriously.  And after dropping him I would send a letter to my insurance company - sending a certified copy to the doctor's office - advising the insurance company to make sure this clown didn't bill me for a "normal" office visit since he was not present for the visit.  But that's just me...

As an aside:

Question - What do they call the person who finishes last in his/her graduating class in Medical School?

Answer - "Doctor"

Have a great weekend everyone...

Mike

[pammartin]

Hey Judy, they come and go, just like Friday the 13th.  Such is our life now. 

Mike, loved your question answer segment, hehehe  I have already spoken with someone about doing just what you suggested, and dropping the hot crack pipe aka doctor, my only hold out is, am established at this lab, changing starts a new baseline, I have only 3 PCR tests since last October, just starting to see where I am going to be holding.  These ridiculous in hospital/office rules, I cannot see another doctor in the same hospital (at least in our area) I would have to change everything.  This PCR will show where I am, first one 87% last one .004% and I will have the new results in about 14 days.  I am in the International Scale, (didn't know that till I asked on Friday) so my results are pretty good.  I was going to change last year when this same doctor kept pushing toward transplant, I, and everyone on this board, plus a few others I know personally in the medical field could not understand that reasoning at all.  I was responding, it took a while but when I did, my numbers dropped, and dropped hard.  So in January when he was still talking transplant or at least looking for donor, I thought, "I am done."  But it does take a while to find donor, it does take longer to get process rolling, and if I would fail, some of these things would be in place.  If I see any type of problem develop, I will be running so far and so fast away from that situation I would win a marathon.  Right now I am coasting and I guess still euphoric over the idea I was not a basket case heading down to appointment, at appointment and after appointment.  The results are days away and I am not driving myself and every one else nuts because I am waiting for them.  Last note, I did mention or threaten insurance company contact, stating I saw a nurse not my specialist, but then again I would prob screw up the chance to use the same lab.  Yeah he got one on me, but I swear I am calling them in July and asking if he is going to be available, and then when he does swagger in the office, I am going to ask him how his lunch was on my last visit, and I am glad he took the time to as least pop his head in the exam room door this time.  I am pretty good with sarcasm, I bet I will be successful in getting my point across, even if he has to be reminded of the event. 

[NotJack?]

Hey Pam,

The only suggestion that I would give you is to have your blood work done 2 weeks before your visit, making sure that you try to get them done early in the week, and sent to the lab of your choice, and then copies to your home lab, primary doctor, and CML specialist.  This is what I do at my home clinic, and send the results to Mayo, so that my specialist has all of the information with which to make an informed recommendation at the time of my visit.  It seems like a waste to go to an appointment with your specialist without all of the data in hand.  This can be done using the lab of your preference,  just make sure that they can insure that the data will be there for your appointment.  (Even if your onc is a loser, there is probably someone on your team there that can do a fine job of interpreting your data at your meeting.)  I would not drive to my specialist without the assurance that he has all of the data with which to counsel me in person.  Take care, Jack

[Susan61]

Hi Pam:  Now after your response, and reading further down to some of your other answers I see what your doing.

When I thought there was a possibility of needinga tranplant, I traveled to a Transplant Specialist, and it was a nightmare at the way things were done.  It was like an assembly line, and you were just a number. I had 4 people trying to get my vein in my arm.  Now these are people who do this constantly everyday to get people ready for transplant.  I kept telling them I had bad veins, and to just go into the front of my  hand with a butterfly.  Nobody would listen, they just kept putting band-aids all over me.  Finally I said do it in my hand or else.  They did it through my hand, and the blood started to flow.  Sometimes the patient knows more than all these educated idiots.  I still go to the lab, and get my blood drawn through my hand.  I have one girl who does it all the time, and when she is off I have to convince them how I want it done.

     I hope you do not need a transplant along the way, and you can just find a Oncologist locally who knows how to treat CML.

    I feel that once you get to PCRU, you do not even need the doctor except to write out your script to go to the lab.

I have been doing the same routine for 9 years.  I go to the lab and get the PCR test, then I get the call to tell me all is okay. Then I have to go in to see the doctor, and pay a co-pay for her to say All Is Okay, and repeat it in 6months.

   You have a great attitude toward it all.  Wishing you the best on your next visit.

[Tedsey]

Dear Pam,

Make sure you get charged accordingly.  I am sure the Dr's fees are higher than the PA or Onc Nurses.  You shouldn't have to pay for what you didn't get.  AND esp. after a 2 hour drive, etc.  I would let the onc know what you went through for the appt. and how it felt like his lunch was more important than you.  The onc I have now always sees me with her personal onc nurse.  She even does my BMB herself!  The whole CML experience is hard enough.  It shouldn't be harder than needed.  This kind of thing is fixable, if not by getting a new onc.  I am sad to hear how his absence made you feel abandoned.  In a sense, having cancer makes you an "untouchable" in society, but we are often given special treatment at the same time.  Take advantage of it.  Life is short.  Don't we know that too well, we, of "limited life-expectancy", (but ironically, every mortal has this problem, even the healthy ones)?  I try to make as much as I can in my life count, even at the onc's.  

Take care.  Happy to hear you are doing well!

Teds

[GerryL]

Hi Pam,

I agree with Jack, my specialist originally told me to get my blood test on the day I attended his appointment. I ignored that from the beginning and get it done a couple of weeks ahead of time, then get a copy early from my GP. That way I know exactly what we are going to talk about at my appointment.

[pammartin]

Hi GerryL,

That is a great idea, but I live about 2 hours one way for this doctor, so I would then have to travel down and back twice.  We started this schedule because of the distance.  I think this is why I wasn't that offended he left.    There is nothing to see except the basic labs, PCR and FISH take up to 14 days before I get a call.  If I run into any problems, I am going to change docs ASAP, but unless that happens I will use the doc/lab I began with so I have a good baseline for results.Since  I am close to reaching PCRU, (West Penn uses the International Scale) I will ignore the brush off.  I am still considering my options, I wanted to call down the day before and ask if doc was going to actually be present for this appointment, but instead I might get labs done in July, and then stop by the office to tell them I am not coming to appointment and I do not expect a bill to be generated.  If he can walk out on my appointment, then I should be able to do the same. 

[GerryL]

Hi Pam,

I'd probably have the same issue if I lived in the country - the city has to have something going for it. I'm not exactly sure what I'd talk to my specialist about if we were still waiting on PCR results and to be honest I hate getting rung up at night time with the results which happened when he did a BMB.

Getting set to do a happy dance for you if you get PCRU - can feel my feet starting to tap already.

[pammartin]

Thanks Gerry!  I think I hear the music in the distance.......  better get outta that chair.