RE Difficult Patient

[BoBennett]

I have read that those folk, who doctors consider bad patients, those folks who are in denial and those folks who find their own control have longer survival rates.

Hey Fay its tough to keep in control like you are doing but absolutely necessary to stay in the fight, doctors can and do make many mistakes and its our responsibility to stay with the process so we can increase our survival times.

I was embarrassed for my Onc when I had to describe my Cat Scan report details that were describe to me in a handwritten report signed by a tech, he didn’t get the report, I did. He changed my medicine based on my assessment of the details. Scary, but that’s the reality. I routinely have to correct his assessments into his Dictaphone because he gets me confused with other patients.

I was being labeled by nine doctors when I was on an odyssey to find the source of my misery during the symptom period. Fortunately I hung in there or I would probably be dead now.

Hand in there Fay, sometimes in order to protect yourself you have to fight with the superior mistake makers.

Good luck in your fight.

Bo

[Lisa O]

I agree. Go Bo.

[Remembering Dave]

I just saw this. I agree. Go Bo. Dave is the most in control person I've ever seen and it seems to work for him. His physicians are all VERY competent and don't seem to make mistakes, but Dave - and I - stay right on top of every detail.

In fact, his radiation oncologist just couldn't believe Dave's bonkitis last summer was a met. We didn't need to press him much to get sent to an ENT doc for a biopsy, but he balked just a little. We were right and he was wrong, and he apologize profusely just for guessing wrong. It was OK, we made sure it got checked out and I think if we hadn't he would have. But it just shows you, even the most competent experienced docs at the best cancer facilities in the country need YOU to be their quality control.

Very good point, Bo.

Karen