Doctors need to focus on their bedside manner and also their communication skills. How hard is it to get hold of your doctor when you need to talk to them? This is important. I realize doctors are busy and they often call patients back after hours, long after dinner time.
A few weeks ago, I met with Dr P to discuss potential new ailments. I liked her and thought she was on the right track. I left all kinds of samples - urine, blood, xrays. Dr P said I should set up an appointment with her in 3 weeks that we could cancel it if everything came back negative. Then I would see her in six months and go from there. She said in the interim she would call me with test results.
A week after my appointment I called her office to find out about the 3 week follow up appointment. She is very busy so her secretary was trying to fit me in. Finally we left it that she would call me with the results and decide then if I needed to come in that soon. She was waiting to talk to the radiologist about my x-rays and hasn't been able to make contact with the radiologist.
Yesterday was yet another week so I called her office. Her secretary, who is very nice, said she would leave her another note. The secretary called back yesterday afternoon in the five minute interval when I was outside. She left a message that they were going to schedule an ultrasound and maybe an MRI as well even though the doctor hadn't made contact with the radiologist yet but with my test results that was the logical next step.
I said to myself 'what test results?' because I didn't have them yet. I called her back and said I had never gotten any test results. The secretary was surprised and gave me my results which are good and bad (meaning inconclusive) but the doctor still wants to talk to the bone radiologist...
The latest assurance I have is that they have scheduled an ultrasound for me in November which may or may not be cancelled and may or may not be followed up by an MRI. The doctor will call me probably Tuesday or Wednesday with results and a plan. I'm not holding my breath. She is a nice doctor and seemed very good but very hard to get on the phone!
Showing posts with label tests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tests. Show all posts
New BRCA tests
New BRCA tests have been developed that are faster and less expensive than the ones done by Myriad Genetics. I think this is great news. Myriad has claimed they patented the BRCA genes but these new tests were developed in Canada so maybe they escaped the long arm of the law.
I had blogged about this before and Myriad was still waiting for a final ruling on their patent. The Supreme Court had thrown it out because they said the laws of nature can't be patented. This I agree with. Now that a second test has been developed on the genes it reinforces this idea that the genes shouldn't be patented. How could it be that a single company could have power over women needing this test? This is where laws need to catch up with technology.
I had blogged about this before and Myriad was still waiting for a final ruling on their patent. The Supreme Court had thrown it out because they said the laws of nature can't be patented. This I agree with. Now that a second test has been developed on the genes it reinforces this idea that the genes shouldn't be patented. How could it be that a single company could have power over women needing this test? This is where laws need to catch up with technology.
A test without a result
So yesterday was my long awaited, well not that long but it felt that way, EMG on my right arm to tell me what is wrong with it. The test is not what we call fun. First they take little metal things and tape them to your arm. Then they start zapping you to see how the nerves react. Sometimes they zap you ten times in a row in the same place. Then if that isn't fun enough a doctor comes in and does it again with needles to test your muscles. And they put all sorts of little dots on your arm with a sharpie pen.
Then they gave me the results. NORMAL. I am not normal by any stretch so I don't know how they got to that one. But this means that I do not have carpal tunnel or ulnar tunnel (in your elbow) issues. I do have tennis elbow still. I still have tingling in my arm and hands.
The tech who did the first half of the test said that arthritis could be a cause for this as well as the tingling I get in my lower left leg. This is not the first time that the arthritis word has been said. The doctor who did the second half of the test said there could be lots of reasons for tingling - lots of reasons is not helpful.
This is frustrating in that I wanted an answer to what is wrong with me. For once.
After leaving I called my primary care doctor to find out if she wants to see me or just talk to me about these results. I assume I'll get a call in the next day or two but still I have no answers. Grrr.
Then they gave me the results. NORMAL. I am not normal by any stretch so I don't know how they got to that one. But this means that I do not have carpal tunnel or ulnar tunnel (in your elbow) issues. I do have tennis elbow still. I still have tingling in my arm and hands.
The tech who did the first half of the test said that arthritis could be a cause for this as well as the tingling I get in my lower left leg. This is not the first time that the arthritis word has been said. The doctor who did the second half of the test said there could be lots of reasons for tingling - lots of reasons is not helpful.
This is frustrating in that I wanted an answer to what is wrong with me. For once.
After leaving I called my primary care doctor to find out if she wants to see me or just talk to me about these results. I assume I'll get a call in the next day or two but still I have no answers. Grrr.
Once again I am in avoidance mode
I am not the brave patient all the time. Well not even most of the time. I have an inner wimp that comes out when faced with large crawly things, big growling dogs, and medical adventures that do not promise to be fun.
I have had tennis elbow for over a year and a half. More than 20 years ago I was told I have ulnar tunnel issues in my elbow. I also have tingling in my hand which is getting worse regardless of how much I wear my brace- all of this is in my right arm. (Which is a good thing if it was in my left arm they would not be able to do much of anything because of lymphedema.) Its not getting better after lots of watchful waiting (I hate that term) and brace wearing and exercises. Monday morning I am going to have an EMG to decide if its tennis elbow, ulnar tunnel, or carpal tunnel and basically decide how to fix this.
Have you ever had an EMG? Its not a fun test. They stick lots of needles in you and then put little electric jolts to see how your nerves react. You don't feel the electricity - maybe a little tingling. But you do feel all the needle pricks.
I had an EMG five years ago when I was diagnosed with bursitis in my hip I got tingling in my lower left leg and foot. I had an EMG to see if there was anything bad going on and there wasn't and we weren't sure how to proceed. Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that was put aside for now. I still have tingling in my lower leg and foot and bursitis.
I was told to allow 1-3 hours for my EMG. I can't wait. Three hours of needles in my arm? How fun! Not. I'll suck it up and whine a bit.
Then in August I have another fun test that I am not ready to discuss yet. I am focusing on Monday's fun in an effort to avoid thinking about the next one.
I have had tennis elbow for over a year and a half. More than 20 years ago I was told I have ulnar tunnel issues in my elbow. I also have tingling in my hand which is getting worse regardless of how much I wear my brace- all of this is in my right arm. (Which is a good thing if it was in my left arm they would not be able to do much of anything because of lymphedema.) Its not getting better after lots of watchful waiting (I hate that term) and brace wearing and exercises. Monday morning I am going to have an EMG to decide if its tennis elbow, ulnar tunnel, or carpal tunnel and basically decide how to fix this.
Have you ever had an EMG? Its not a fun test. They stick lots of needles in you and then put little electric jolts to see how your nerves react. You don't feel the electricity - maybe a little tingling. But you do feel all the needle pricks.
I had an EMG five years ago when I was diagnosed with bursitis in my hip I got tingling in my lower left leg and foot. I had an EMG to see if there was anything bad going on and there wasn't and we weren't sure how to proceed. Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that was put aside for now. I still have tingling in my lower leg and foot and bursitis.
I was told to allow 1-3 hours for my EMG. I can't wait. Three hours of needles in my arm? How fun! Not. I'll suck it up and whine a bit.
Then in August I have another fun test that I am not ready to discuss yet. I am focusing on Monday's fun in an effort to avoid thinking about the next one.
I need an inspiring blog post
I haven't been very inspiring recently, not that I think I am that inspiring ever. Sometimes I wonder why anyone reads my blog at all but that is another story.
Its been almost five years since my breast cancer diagnosis. Am I supposed to have a party or something? I don't think so. I'm not doing much celebrating. I'm just not in the mood. I mean what is the significance of five years? Am I all better then? I was told breast cancer would take a year out of my life and then I would reach a new normal and life would go on. Well, it didn't really get to any new normal so my expectations for a life changing event at five years are some where in the basement.
Cancer swallows up your life and you learn to deal with it and continue to cope. But it never really goes away. So I keep blogging about my little medical misadventures. I am told people read my blog and like it (for whatever reason). Sometimes I hear that its nice to see someone who has lived for so long with cancer.
But then sometimes I hesitate to write about somethings. If I have been living with thyroid cancer for over 30 years but then all of a sudden need more tests, will I cause concern among others? Am I proof that cancer will doom us all?
No there is nothing new and significantly wrong with me that I know of. I survived my annual mammogram with no bad news or additional images required. But I didn't feel any big sigh of relief. More tests this summer. But that's nothing new. I always have more tests coming up. If its not one thing its another. I just have no inspiration to write about anything.
Its been almost five years since my breast cancer diagnosis. Am I supposed to have a party or something? I don't think so. I'm not doing much celebrating. I'm just not in the mood. I mean what is the significance of five years? Am I all better then? I was told breast cancer would take a year out of my life and then I would reach a new normal and life would go on. Well, it didn't really get to any new normal so my expectations for a life changing event at five years are some where in the basement.
Cancer swallows up your life and you learn to deal with it and continue to cope. But it never really goes away. So I keep blogging about my little medical misadventures. I am told people read my blog and like it (for whatever reason). Sometimes I hear that its nice to see someone who has lived for so long with cancer.
But then sometimes I hesitate to write about somethings. If I have been living with thyroid cancer for over 30 years but then all of a sudden need more tests, will I cause concern among others? Am I proof that cancer will doom us all?
No there is nothing new and significantly wrong with me that I know of. I survived my annual mammogram with no bad news or additional images required. But I didn't feel any big sigh of relief. More tests this summer. But that's nothing new. I always have more tests coming up. If its not one thing its another. I just have no inspiration to write about anything.
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