A new oncologist (well for a day anyway!)

I'd been dreading going to see the new oncologist. Since my old oncologist decided to up and move his practice, I was forced into choosing a new one. It's hard to choose a new doctor when you don't know a thing about them. All I had to go on, in making my selection, was what I could read online. It wasn't much and I was nervous, but I chose a name that sounded familiar, Dr. Assiskas. He'd been my neighbor's oncologist and she'd told me he was quite good. I'd just have to trust her opinion, but it wouldn't be easy.

It's hard to give your story to a new doctor in an abbreviated version. Doctors are always looking at their watches...to them, time is money and money is time. When Dr. A walked into the room, he extended his hand. I took it and shook it and as I did, he told me his name. He sat on a little stool across from me and before I'd even had a chance to mutter 2 words, he said, "I want to put you on Exemestane...Aromasin. I think it's the best choice. Yes, that's what we'll do." Then he got up to leave. I was dumbfounded. This new doctor didn't know jack squat about me unless he'd taken time to read completely through my file and I doubt he'd taken time to do that.

As he was rising, I said, "Wait. I have a some concerns." He looked at me like a deer in headlights and I continued. I told him I was concerned about the polyps in my stomach. He asked how I knew I had stomach polyps and I handed him a stack of photos from the EGD I'd had done in 2013. As he looked at the photos, he sat back down. Ha! Gotcha Doc! He only took a few seconds but as he realized I did indeed have polyps in my stomach, he told me he'd get me scheduled to see a gastroenterologist. Then, he walked out the door.

I sat there trying really hard not to be ticked off. I had come all the way into town to see this new doctor and had expected him to spend at least 15 minutes of time with me. I may have gotten 4. I was not happy. I had not been able to share any of the other concerns I'd had with him before he left the room. Yes, I could have demanded he stay and listen to me, but I didn't. That's not my style. I'd given him a trial run and he had failed...miserably failed.

At the checkout desk, the receptionist tried to schedule another appointment with Dr. A for me. I started to make the appointment and then I told myself NO. No, I was not going to see this uncaring, unfeeling jerk again. No. I talked to the receptionist about it and asked her if Dr. A was always in such a hurry. She said he wasn't usually. I explained my disappointment and told her I didn't want to see him again. She assured me it was fine. She said, "You can choose another doctor in the practice and I'll make the appointment." So I did. I chose to see the last partner in the group, Dr. Franz. In three months, I'd give him a trial run and if he didn't pass the test, I'd drive 30 miles to see my old oncologist, Dr. Feinstein.

I guess doctors get so busy they forget how it feels to be a peon...a patient. All we want is a listening ear and some suggestions for solutions. It's terrible to feel like your doctor doesn't see you or hear you. It's very unnerving to have real health issues that need to be addressed and to have those needs go unattended.

If Dr. A had looked into my chart, he would have read I've already been on 2 anti-hormone therapy medications - Tamoxifen and Arimidex. Both of those caused me to have horrible side effects. After trying those drugs, I'd told Dr. Feinstein I wanted to pursue a natural route in my healing process. I'd chosen not to take any medications but to focus on changing my diet. I'd done a lot of research on natural remedies for breast cancer and had come up with a daily regimen. If he'd read my chart, he would have known I'd gone into great detail with Dr. F. He would have also seen that Dr. F had given me his support and understanding. But, Dr. A had failed to read those important notes and had just looked at me as yet another breast cancer patient.

All breast cancer patients can't be treated the same way. We all can't just be given a medication and shoved out the door. We have real physical problems, side effects, that come as the result of treatment and we need to be able to talk to our doctors and get help with those issues.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I left Dr. A's office. I cried all the way home. I don't want to take a drug that is going to make me loose my hair, have extreme bone pain, be prone to fractures, be fatigued all the time and suffer severe depression or mood swings. No. That's not for me. The quality of my life is important and no, I may not get to have the quantity of life I want to have, but I do want to feel good in the days I have left.

A few days after I'd seen the doctor, I got an email requesting input on a provider satisfaction survey. I had fun taking that survey, especially since I was able to remain anonymous. I guess that will prompt Dr. A to do a little reading, huh?

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