Merl, we sure do get it don’t we? I can’t tell you how happy I was to read you finally stumbled across a “medico” that gets it! You’ve certainly had a tough, long road.
When the old NP continued putting in my chart that I was making up the FAS, I was madder than a hornet. I reached out to the ST that my first sent me to just so it could be diagnosed. Ms. Amy (ST #2) replied it was in my medical record as they are all with the same hospital. I requested she still send the email to Dr. Q-W because obviously the NP had never read my record, not her notes, not even my rupture. That NP couldn’t even bother to show up for any of my angiograms. I had a really bad spell and the triage RN was scared as much as BH. I didn’t know about patient portals back then so used the Neurosurgery Triage RNs. The NP refused to see me and Triage suggested I call in and make an appointment. The appointment desk knew me pretty well back then. They couldn’t get me in to see Dr.Q-W and my scheduled appointment was a month away. She contacted the NP who said I was just overreacting. WTH? So the appointment desk talked to Dr.Q-W and told them I said I wasn’t playing with L anymore (true words). Dr. Q-W borrowed a NP from one of her colleagues. Can you believe it, that NP actually read the notes and knew what was wrong! She wrote down my rules so we could post them on the refrigerator. It lead to procedure #3 and a new NP, Ms Ryann who I dearly admire… she has also reviewed all my procedures and comes to each angiogram. She also came to talk to us when the anesthesiologist refused to give me steroid shots in my neck. I got a little peeved as BH had to take off work, drive me an hour or so to the hospital just to be told he wouldn’t do it as I can’t take prednisone. We had to wait another 90 minutes just to see him. I asked why in the Hades didn’t he read my allergies before hand. The chicken doo doo called Ms. Ryann😂
Cause and effect are just one part of the puzzle. Consideration should also be given to impact, force, duration, location, and time. There are good doctors out there, the ones that care, and who are not afraid to admit their limitations.
When I went for my 6-month follow-up meeting with the consultant and gave him a list of all the issues that were taking place, he replied that he had met 8 other patients before me that day and they all told him more or less the same thing. Hmm, well that’s ok, but?
We talked for a while and not being a person who was only interested in the sound of his own voice he placed everything in perspective, 1. You are alive. 2. Don’t give up trying.
No waffle. I appreciate his understanding of where I was at. It has been a great learning curve, full of experiences I would not have had. It changed my life and although I did enjoy the way it was, I was now heading in a different direction. To have a serious health issue is an eye-opener and there is no guarantee that we will receive the treatment that is best suited to our situation. Our life/work situation may not allow us sufficient time to fully recover. All we can do, is the best we can with what we have.
As we come close to the end of yet another year, I would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone peace and happiness in their life and to remind you that, yes, you are alive so don’t give up.
When you already know everything why do you need to read a patient’s history? Does a mechanic need to look at a vehicle’s history? Nope. They see no difference . The way in which many simply minimise our concerns can be infuriating to say the least. Hades? I get a little more colourful with my language. I look at it this way: If I did that in my job, I’d be out of a job. I had to know (or have some idea) of what I was walking into for every client. Not reading the file, not having some prior knowledge was a cardinal sin. And I wasn’t even doing brain surgery.
Hey John,
Yes, there are… …but finding ‘good’ doctors that can be a challenge. I had one I’d trained up really well, he retired. Then I got his replacement, a young snot, I tried training him too but his arrogance was overwhelming. He ignored my reported symptoms, then when the N.S. was consulted the N.S. exploded, there was a major issue which needed neurosurgical intervention, NOW. The N.S. straight out told me “You need a new Doctor. Get a new Doctor” which I have since done (and made a complaint about the former).
I think we all have to learn to manage the best way we can. I don’t believe there is an exact right way and an exact wrong way and what may work really well for one maybe of minimal benefit to another. I’ve endured a few neurosurgeries and none of my recoveries have been the same, so I’ve needed to adapt for the situation in front of me, today.
In my career choice it could lead to extremely dangerous situations😱. Always nice to know what one is walking into whenever possible…
Merl, you and @John are spot on that we all need to adapt! Everyone here has the skills already, might need to dust the cobwebs off for some of us older folks😂
Yes we are alive so all we experience is from what went on in our brains. Each is different and the same to some extent. Be thankful but also express what you are feeling. Of the Dr doesn’t react then most likely you will be fine. I have had a lot of issues since my craniotomy for my unruptured aneurysm. But it was a very sick one and I would not have made it past that surgery. So I feel like I was given another phase in life to do the best I can and love for reach day. All the best to you all. We all have a lot in common.
There is great relief when an individual has come to accept the way it is now and better yet when there are little worries or expectations on how life will be in the future. No easy task of course as we are mostly conditioned to do the opposite. @Suszanne, another phase is a good way to describe the journey we are on. Keep smiling.
Exactly. We definitely are different. Coming from a different state of mind. I’m a song writer so it has helped me open my mind Further.
We have to accept what we have and that we will get better. Time May heal. It has for me but I do deal with issues even my surgeons don’t understand. But I have to deal with them. They don’t. So it becomes just us who work out all forces that bestow upon us.
. The way in which many simply minimise our concerns can be infuriating to say the least. Hades? I get a little more colourful with my language. I look at it this way: If I did that in my job, I’d be out of a job. I had to know (or have some idea) of what I was walking into for every client. Not reading the file, not having some prior knowledge was a cardinal sin. And I wasn’t even doing brain surgery.