Sunday, April 5, 2009

Doctors' orders



I try to take Sundays off. That's my cancer free day. What happened this morning, however, makes me crazy. I was contacted by a lady whose father has kidney cancer. She was asking me questions about Germany. I asked her some questions about her father, like when was he diagnosed, the stage of his cancer, and ultimately, “How's he doin' today?” She said her dad was in a lot of pain, and had been in a lot of pain for about the past three days.

When I asked what painkillers he was taking, she said he wasn’t taking any. Their doctor, she said, told her that according to the records, her father shouldn't be in that much pain.

According to the records? What the hell is that! Are you kiddin' me?

My outrage was immediate. But I said, very calmly, “Listen very carefully to me. I'm going to hang up, and when I do, I want you to call your doctor and be very nice, but say this to him: ‘My father is in a lot of pain I don't care what his records say. If you don't write him a prescription, then I'll find a doctor who will.’”

Guess what? Her father got the painkillers.

Take charge of your medical path. Again, be proactive. Get as much information as you can. It's out there. If your doctor says something that doesn't sound right or you decide you don't want to seek that option at this time, then don't. No matter what any doctor says.

Remember, I was told by my doctors that I’d die if I went to Germany.

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