Trip postponed

Brenda Bricco
Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member

We packed everything up, loaded the truck, dropped the dog off at sitters and left for the 3 hour trip when I decided to call to confirm if appt was at 9 or 9:30...  the surgeons assistant said that we the surgeon would like us to come next Tuesday for a MRI of the liver because she is thinking rfa and wants to make sure it's not too close to any of the major areas that the blood flows through. We were only 15 minutes out of town (left the day before to avoid the snow storm that was scheduled to hit Madison last night). So we turned around and went to dinner (it was our wedding anniversary yesterday).

So, it's hurry up and wait for another week but atleast I know what the surgeon is thinking. This all makes me wonder if the local onc lied about the scan in November being clear. I didn't think CC grew that fast if so waiting another week is not a good feeling.

For anyone not familiar with what is going on, my husband has a reoccurance in his liver (2 tumors 4.6 and 1.5).

This doesn't get any easier that if for sure.

Brenda

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Frustrating!

    Oh, Brenda! How frustrating! 

    Last week we traveled the 335 miles to my chemo appointment only to be told my WBC was too low.  Thank goodness to Red Lobster, where we enjoyed a WONDERFUL dinner. 

    Good luck with next week. And I know it can go fast, though when you're waiting and stressing, it actually seems to drag. 

    You know we're all here for you, so post, post, post whenever you feel the need. 

    - SUE -

  • AnnLouise
    AnnLouise Member Posts: 276 Member
    Waiting is always so hard....

    And frustrating ....

    Happy belated Anniversary! Hope you had a nice dinner....

    The snow storm hit us today also...We live outside of Chicago....~Ann

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    Happy Anniversary!
    Chelsea

    Happy Anniversary!

    Chelsea
  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    Gosh Brenda
    So aggravating! What if you didn't call. I have a CT scan March 18th - chest, abd, and pelvis and I have a blood clot in my right upper arm from picc line. I am trying to get the right upper arm included in CT after an ultrasound was inconclusive. It's like pulling teeth trying to get someone to talk to the Dr to order it. I went to onc office yesterday to talk in person to nurse (tired of calling) and she said she messaged him, that's all she can do. Just so frustrating. Glad that you got to go o dinner for anniversary.
    Sandy :)
  • tachilders
    tachilders Member Posts: 313

    Gosh Brenda
    So aggravating! What if you didn't call. I have a CT scan March 18th - chest, abd, and pelvis and I have a blood clot in my right upper arm from picc line. I am trying to get the right upper arm included in CT after an ultrasound was inconclusive. It's like pulling teeth trying to get someone to talk to the Dr to order it. I went to onc office yesterday to talk in person to nurse (tired of calling) and she said she messaged him, that's all she can do. Just so frustrating. Glad that you got to go o dinner for anniversary.
    Sandy :)

    The one thing I like the best

    The one thing I like the best about my onc at Northwestern is that her PA (physicians asistant) will correspond with me by e-mail and gets back to me almost instantly.  Compare that to the local oncologist where I have to call and leave a message with a nurse, who may or may not get back to me within a day or two....  It is almost impossible to get an answer to a question from my local onc unless I ask him at my doc appointment prior to treatment every 2 weeks.

    Tedd

  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member

    The one thing I like the best

    The one thing I like the best about my onc at Northwestern is that her PA (physicians asistant) will correspond with me by e-mail and gets back to me almost instantly.  Compare that to the local oncologist where I have to call and leave a message with a nurse, who may or may not get back to me within a day or two....  It is almost impossible to get an answer to a question from my local onc unless I ask him at my doc appointment prior to treatment every 2 weeks.

    Tedd

    Tedd
    It shouldn't be that way, I know they are busy but to me the nurse should be our advocate to get the answers that we need. I worked as a nurse in the hospital and if a patient had a question I got the answer, it's hard enough being in a hospital. I would bug the Dr until I got the answer, it's being compassionate for the patients needs. I think that's why I get so frustrated. I get a CT on March 18th and then an appt on the 21st to see Dr to go over scan, I know the scan will be read that day and I will bug them until I get my results that day. Three days later??? What if it was their life??
    Sandy :)
  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member

    The one thing I like the best

    The one thing I like the best about my onc at Northwestern is that her PA (physicians asistant) will correspond with me by e-mail and gets back to me almost instantly.  Compare that to the local oncologist where I have to call and leave a message with a nurse, who may or may not get back to me within a day or two....  It is almost impossible to get an answer to a question from my local onc unless I ask him at my doc appointment prior to treatment every 2 weeks.

    Tedd

    Wow!

    I'm surprised! 

    When I call my Oncologist with a question, and I've done it lots, I get an answer within hours from the one of the Oncologist nurses.  Of course, it is a small practice, and maybe thats part of reason. 

    I would be chomping at the bit if I didn't get an answer within a day. 

  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member

    The one thing I like the best

    The one thing I like the best about my onc at Northwestern is that her PA (physicians asistant) will correspond with me by e-mail and gets back to me almost instantly.  Compare that to the local oncologist where I have to call and leave a message with a nurse, who may or may not get back to me within a day or two....  It is almost impossible to get an answer to a question from my local onc unless I ask him at my doc appointment prior to treatment every 2 weeks.

    Tedd

    Madison

    I know what you mean Tedd, I also have the direct email and phone number to his surgeons assistant.

    Could this local oncologist have lied about that Nov scan being clear??? That seems horrible to imagine that in his mind he was trying to not make us worry. He better not let me find out that that is what he did. I just ripped into our cell phone carrier today for charging me a bogus $30 charge, I hate to think what I would say to him. ugh

  • tachilders
    tachilders Member Posts: 313

    Madison

    I know what you mean Tedd, I also have the direct email and phone number to his surgeons assistant.

    Could this local oncologist have lied about that Nov scan being clear??? That seems horrible to imagine that in his mind he was trying to not make us worry. He better not let me find out that that is what he did. I just ripped into our cell phone carrier today for charging me a bogus $30 charge, I hate to think what I would say to him. ugh

    Every doctor I have had at

    Every doctor I have had at Northwestern (oncologist and surgeons who did my various liver procedures) has given me a business card with both their e-mail and a phone number to contact them.  When I asked about this at the local clinic, I was told they don't give out the doctor's e-mail or phone numbers.  You have to call the clinic and leave a message for the nurse, who will then contact the doctor if she deems it is necessary.  Fat lot of good that does if you have a question 2 minutes after the clinic closes, which did happen to me once.  I needed to contact the doctor about a procedure I would be getting at Northwestern the next day, but everything was happening very fast and I wasn't able to get ahold of the nurse at the clinic before they leave for the day (4 PM EST, which seems a little early to me, especially since that is 3 PM CST where NW is).  Anyway, I called the after hours number and told them I needed to talk to my onc that day.  He did call back, but was freaked out that something bad had happened to me, so I've never done that again....

    Tedd

  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member

    Every doctor I have had at

    Every doctor I have had at Northwestern (oncologist and surgeons who did my various liver procedures) has given me a business card with both their e-mail and a phone number to contact them.  When I asked about this at the local clinic, I was told they don't give out the doctor's e-mail or phone numbers.  You have to call the clinic and leave a message for the nurse, who will then contact the doctor if she deems it is necessary.  Fat lot of good that does if you have a question 2 minutes after the clinic closes, which did happen to me once.  I needed to contact the doctor about a procedure I would be getting at Northwestern the next day, but everything was happening very fast and I wasn't able to get ahold of the nurse at the clinic before they leave for the day (4 PM EST, which seems a little early to me, especially since that is 3 PM CST where NW is).  Anyway, I called the after hours number and told them I needed to talk to my onc that day.  He did call back, but was freaked out that something bad had happened to me, so I've never done that again....

    Tedd

    Awesome

    Sounds like your doc actully gives a rip. Laughing