phone call from dr. - scared now

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reece
reece Member Posts: 20
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
HI
I recently had an endometrial biospy(had breast cancer in august), any way - I got my results on June 12, over the phone - all was normal, I was told. So yesterday, I got a call from that doctor's office, but they did not leave a message (I have caller ID). Now, all kinds of scary things are going through my head - what if they gave me the wrong results???? I'm freaking out.
I have an appt. on Tuesday with them, so if they were calling to remind me, why didn't they just leave a message? On the other hand, if it was urgent, like mixed up results - wouldn't they have left a message for me to call them? I just wish they'd left a message and I could've called them back yesterday. now it's the weekend, and I have to wait til Monday!!! UGH. I hate this freaking rollercoaster. I am sick of being scared. Tell me, how do I still enjoy my weekend with this looming over me now?

waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh

Reece

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  • jamjar62
    jamjar62 Member Posts: 135
    #2
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    Hi Reece...I'm sure if you've been to the doctor's office, the pharmacy or anything like that, you've signed one of those privacy forms, right? Doctor's offices can no longer leave messages regarding appointments, lab results or anything "private". It makes me sooo crazy...I had an eye doctor appt on Wednesday...had to sign one of those forms. Like my precription for my glasses is classified information??? Anyway, I'll bet they were just calling to remind you of your appointment. Instead of leaving a message to call them, they probably intended to call you back later and ran out of time at the end of the day. The chances of that being the case are way better than them mixing up your lab results, right? I know you are freaked and I would be too. Please try to enjoy your weekend!

    Blessings,
    Karen
  • jingle
    jingle Member Posts: 7
    #3
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    Reese,

    Bet Karen is correct. The HIPPA Act (Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act) was signed in 1998-ish. But only became effective in mid April. There are two arms to this act and one is to protect the patient's privacy.

    I work in a health clinic and there are so many things we could do before that we now cannot do. But the hardest part is that the law, as laws often go, is written abstractly. Exactly what things we can do and what we can no longer do is open to interpretation.

    So there are many standard procedures which are clearly no longer allowed, and there is a TON of standard procedures which are just dern unclear. And lots of varying office responses to the law.

    It will work itself out over the next couple of years but in the meantime, a few people get caught in the crunch. Like you. I would be a mess also, if I had received a "no message" message. But Karen is correct, most places are not leaving message on phone machines to cover themselves legally about a law made to protect your privacy.

    Who might pick up that message? Perhaps someone you would prefer didn't know that you are seeing that particular doctor.

    And it may ultimately work out that the new law allows phone messages, but until that is perfectly clear most are not leaving messages. In fact, my worksite had phone signal changed so the patient's caller id box reads "private" when we call. But that is how our administration interpreted the law.

    And you would be amazed at the various interpretations!!! Some of the interpretations are just plain silly!

    On the other hand, it may be a completely different scenario. Perhaps you left your "little black book" when you last were there. And the nurse, who is recently single again, just wanted to ask if she could borrow it for the weekend. She really needed a good looking guy and found lotsa those kind of phone numbers in your book.

    So you may wish to turn your worries to her. The office nurse has one of your beefcakes for the weekend. Boy, she has some nerve, no?!!!

    Hoping you have a relaxed weekend and that Tuesday comes quickly for you, Gerry
  • DeeNY711
    DeeNY711 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #4
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    Gosh, Reece, the voice in your brain sounds so much like mine, that in itself is pretty scary! Are we related? Hugs, Denise
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #5
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    Reece,
    My guess is that the office would have said "Please call us back when you have time, we have some information to discuss" or something in that manner. That is not a privacy invading statement. More than likely, they want to remind you of your office visit. Plus, when I was in the leukemia stage of life, every phone call scared me a little bit! Thought it was the doctors office calling. Finally I had to just make myself stop being so worried. Just try it Reece. It wont happen naturally at first. You gotta make it happen. COncious effort at first, and take your time with it. There are a lot of smart women on this website who can help you with that. Take their advice. Believe me, your better of listening to them than me, unless you feel you need more emotional stress!! Take care, and God bless :-)
    -Michael
  • inkblot
    inkblot Member Posts: 698 Member
    #6
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    Hi Reece:

    I ditto the other girls' thoughts about that phone call.

    Would like to add just a couple of simple thoughts: Perhaps someone from that office rang
    your number by mistake and realized it and just hung up? I've been called by mistake before. All it takes is one frazzled receptionist on a Friday afternoon.

    Since you cannot do anything until Monday, try to put it out of your mind. Unless your imagination is getting compensated for all that overtime, it isn't worth it, right? Not much else can you effectively do. Unless you want to call your doctor's service and leave a message for him to call you back asap. Then you could ask him what he knows about the call to your number and then, you'll know. Just a thought, if all else fails.

    No matter what the reason for that phone call, mistake, appoint. reminder or otherwise, try to think of it this way: If this happened to your best friend, what would you advise her to do, until Monday? I've a feeling that it would be something kinder than what you're doing to yourself.

    Our imaginations can become beasties, I know, but try to ease up on the panic button.

    Love, light and laughter,
    Ink
  • reece
    reece Member Posts: 20
    #7
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    Thank you all so much for the support. I was surely in "panic" mode. I'm doing better - I don't have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach today - and I am able to enjoy myself today. I'm still a little worried, but I told myself that I'd just call tomorrow, and not to worry about it until then.
    There is a little worry in the back of my mind, but logic (and a ton of folks) says that they are likely calling to re-confirm my appt.

    Thanks again - I knew I'd feel better after reading responses here!
  • SweetSue
    SweetSue Member Posts: 217
    #8
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    What helps me cope with all this cancer worry...is I say to myself, "I am safe right now..the past is not real...the future is not real."
    Good Luck on Tuesday;keep us informed.
    Sue
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #9
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    Dear REECE.
    I did the EXACT same thing yesterday!! I went home for lunch yesterday and picked up my phone in the living room and was going thur my caller ID. When I saw my Doctors phone number on there from 11:32 a.m. MY HEART ALMOST stopped! I froze in place for about 3 minutes then ran YES RAN up the stairs to my bedroom to push the answering machine to see if they left a message.

    I felt like a total fool when I relized it they were just wanting to change my apointment from the 7th because my doctor wanted to extend his holiday weekend.

    NOW WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE I panic like that??? Its good to know IM not alone!

    Love
    Jerilyn

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