I Could Only Laugh

            Recently, I wrote about my frustration with the health care system.  I had an experience last week that exemplifies the problems in the health care system.  It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh.  

            You may remember that I had to fight to get care from the oncologist who is currently providing my care.  The first doctor, Dr. M, just wasn’t the right doctor for me.  I felt like the level of care was lacking.  The last time I had any contact with that doctor, or anyone in his practice was on August 14^th.  Remember that date.  I switched to Dr. St who has been providing my care and chemo since then.  Well, the other day I was laying down talking on the phone to my friend, Pam, after my chemo treatment.  Another call blinked on my phone screen.  The caller ID said it was from the first oncologist’s office.  After a moment’s hesitation, I answered it.  The man on the line said he was calling because Dr. M’s office was having difficulty getting my insurance company to authorize a blood draw.  I had to pause before I could respond.  What was he talking about?  It was October 4^th.  Remember I hadn’t had contact with this doctor or his office since August 14^th.  I had canceled a chemo appointment and an appointment with the doctor.  So, I told the man that I was no longer being treated by Dr. M because I had decided to go with a different doctor.  I pointed out that I had told someone in his office that I had changed doctors a few weeks prior.  The guy seemed clueless.  He asked me which doctor I had switched to.  My first thought was that he didn’t need to know.  Then I decided that I would tell him so Dr. M would know there were better doctors out there.  

            This whole situation left me laughing.  Where the hell did they think I had been for the last seven weeks?  I have stage 4 cancer.  Did they think I would just miss appointments?  Did they even notice that I hadn’t been there?  This proves that I made the right decision when I switched to Dr. St.  If a doctor lets a patient with stage 4 go missing for seven weeks, is he really interested in healing the patient?  Was anyone in his office really paying attention? 

            I understand that doctors have a lot of patients, and they depend on their staff who don’t always tell them everything.  This is ridiculous, though.  I made the right decision to go with Dr. St. 

            Health care baffles me.  There are good doctors out there.  Some are prevented from providing care the way they want because of the system and insurance companies.  Another example happened on Tuesday.  My psychiatrist made a change to how I take a medication, which required two different doses of the medication.  When I went to the pharmacy, they would only give me one.  I was told that I had to wait until the next day for the other one because my insurance said that is when it was due to be processed.  Never mind that my psychiatrist had made the decision to make the changes based on my health needs.  Evidently, the insurance company knows better than a psychiatrist!  I am frustrated.  Adding to the frustration was the fact that it was 4:00 in the afternoon.  Does it really make a difference if I pick the prescription up then as opposed to 9:00 the next morning.  Just an inconvenience for me.  

            Check back on Monday for a new post.  I am not sure what I will write about.  Perhaps another poem.  I have two poems that I have written during chemo treatment.  There is also a guest post on TMS treatment coming soon.   I wrote a lot in my journal yesterday.  Maybe there is a post in what I wrote.  Some of it is about the mental side of facing cancer.  Don’t miss Monday’s post.