Reading Is Fundamental

Have you ever had to deal with a doctor who is clearly not listening to you or reading what you write? Did you find a resolution to the communication issue that didn't result in you seeing someone else? How long were you frustrated by the lack of care until something positive came from your concerns?

I have to deal with an Oncologist who never answers all of my questions because HE REPLACED the Oncologist I had to deal with who never answered all of my questions. It's like a revolving door of idiocy; you think you're in a better place by going around but you never actually moved forward. One moron takes the place of another and I wind up wondering how these people ever graduated from preschool. It's truly astounding that they can even cash my copay since they are incapable of responding to simple questions.

Case in point:

1. I need to set up a day in August to meet with Dr. Confusion for one last office visit since we are moving into a new program for aftercare, and his time with us is over.

2. I need to set up another day in October to meet the new doctors in the aftercare program and get scans, per Dr. Confusion's recommendation of scans in October.

3. #1 has to happen before #2 per Dr. Confusion's orders.

Tell me this: does the plan above seem hard to follow?

This is what I wrote to him: "When should we come in for an appointment so Emily can move into the ACE program? At the time of her next scans (beginning of October) or before she starts school?"

Here is his response: "I will go ahead and schedule the scans for August 16th. Please call and schedule an appoint for the Thursday of that week."

Are you kidding me?????????????

All I want to do is deal with this fool one last time so we can move on and he can't even make that easy for us. God forbid I ask him a thought provoking question. He might have a seizure if I do.

If you think I'm being harsh, understand that he has been this way and worse for almost two years now. He never answers my questions, he obviously doesn't comprehend my emails, and he always gives me a headache. If there was a Tylenol product to get rid of him I would have taken the maximum allowable dosage by now; maybe even the whole bottle.

I wrote this entry to help me vent before I respond to him. If I learned anything from the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's to wait for time to pass before you deal with your frustration. When LeBron James decided to play in Miami, Dan Gilbert let his emotions take over and made vitriolic statements in a open letter that didn't help his cause.

In remembrance of that public relations debacle, I won't send my blog to the doctor. Not yet at least. Not until we make a televised announcement on Nickelodeon that we're gladly taking our care to another oncologist.

On second thought, he probably won't comprehend that attempt at communication either.