The Good Doctor

So I remembered this story I could post that would be entertaining to everyone who has known my health issues over past year and a half...

BACKGROUND: To bring you all up to speed, about 1 1/2 years ago I started having health problems. Doctors couldn't figure it out and so I was sick like this for over a year...until I got a new job. Then it all went away and we figured out it was the stress and anxiety produced from my job situation. During that period of time, I was diagnosed with a heart problem called vasovagal syncope (which means I never can run again and will keep passing out for the rest of my life and it will only get worse) and put on beta blockers (WRONG), told I had a brain tumor and multiple sclerosis on a Friday and finally told on the following Tuesday that the doctor had read the report wrong and I was tumor free and multiple sclerosis was not an option, and finally I was told I had restrictive lung disease (which entails being on a respirator for the rest of your life) on a Monday and the next day told the nurse read the report wrong AGAIN! This was, by the way, at three totally separate doctor's offices! This all happened within a period of a couple months and can I just say by the end of it my mental and emotional capacities were shot!



PRESENT: A couple weeks ago I went to the doctor for a random check up because I had been feeling kind of wierd and it came back that one of my hormone levels was off. It was prolactin...sooooo, I had to go in for another MRI of my brain because when these levels are elevated a lot of times it is caused by a tumor on your pituitary. Just when I thought I was finally fine and healthy again, this happens! Anyway, I went in for the MRI and they had to put contrast in me through an IV to see better. I had this last time and nothing really happened. This time, however, when it went into me my heart rate shot up really fast really quickly and I started feeling like I was going to pass out and I got a metallic taste in my mouth. They have speakers in the MRI machine and the girl said, "If you have any problems, just tell me and I can stop the procedure." So I said, "Um, I think I am going to pass out." No answer. So I said it again a little louder and looked in the mirror to see the girl checking her hotmail email on one of the computers in the glass room...not even paying attention. I eventually screamed, "Help!" a couple times and nothing. Then I just got furious! I think that helped me through it. I didn't pass out and ten minutes later she came in like nothing was wrong. I was so mad I told her what I thought...Actually I wish I would have told her what I thought, but instead I told her calmly what had happened and to be more careful next time.



The MRI was normal...Yeah! No tumor! I had to wait for the results over a weekend again and throughout the next week until Wednesday. By that time I had figured out that if there was something seriously wrong they would have called right away like the previous time they told me I actually had one! Anyway, that is my emotional rollarcoaster of a life. The conclusion of the story is...doctors are human too and all humans make mistakes, only doctors should make less because they are dealing with a patient's life. Needless to say, I think now that I am a better doctor for myself then anyone else...unless I have had my leg recently severed, I am better off without one! I will put in one plug for my brother-in-law though. I trust him...but good doctors are hard to find now a days. Best of luck to everyone else in their health endeavors!