Thursday, November 12, 2009

I Want to See the DOCTOR - NOT YOU!

This morning Melon Man and I got up and went to our scheduled appointment with the nurse practitioner.  What a waste of my time, her time, and my money.  We're sitting in there and she comes in and says, "So, what seems to be the problem?"  I give her a rundown of what's been happening this week and she asks, "So when was your last period?"  My jaw about hits the floor.  I wanted to scream, "Lady, have you not been listening?  I'M ON IT!  Before I started hemorrhaging on Sunday, I had 7 days with nothing.  Before that, nine and a half WEEKS of bleeding!  Count it back yourself!"  But...I didn't.  I tried explaining it to her again, but I think she only "heard" me talking, instead of listening to what I was saying.  So, the next thing out of her mouth is, "I want you to continue taking the medicine and that should either stop it or slow it down."

At this point, I was starting to get a little peeved. 

First of all, I had shaved for this meeting.  You know what I mean...ALL the way up, not just to my knees.  Geez...I had super hairy legs and tons of blood "down there" at the ER and they didn't care at all.  I'm all cleaned up and spiffy now and she's not even going to examine me?

Second, and most important, I wanted ANSWERS, not just pills.  Pills are what put my mom in the grave and I'm sorry, I'm not planning on going there any time soon.  I told her I was not going to just LIVE with this by taking a pill every day.  I told her I was sick of living with period problems for the last 22 years and I wanted something done about it.  I was sobbing.  She kind of rudely asked, "Well, what do you want me to do?"  That's when I did lose it.  I went off....

"Let me see the DOCTOR!  I did not want to see YOU.  I wanted to see the DOCTOR.  The DOCTOR is the one who told me to tell your staff to WORK ME IN.  The DOCTOR is the one who spoke to the ER doctor.  The DOCTOR is the one who has reviewed my labs and my ultrasound.  I just want to see the DOCTOR and find out what is wrong with me and get it FIXED, not keep taking a pill!  I don't want to have uterine cancer like my mom did." 

She got up, left the room, came back in, and asked me if I could come back at 1:30 and I could meet with the doctor then.  Of course, lady, that's what I'd wanted to do all along.  Don't you think I'd make it work out?  Oh, and then she tells me there was no charge for this meeting.  Uh, yeah, dang right.  If she hadn't said it, I would have.

So, off we left.  We grabbed some breakfast and headed home.  I rested while I waited.  Melon Man left for work and I headed back to see the DOCTOR. 

He was very nice.  I was able to give him a rundown of my "history" with my periods - unlike witchy-poo who didn't really want to listen.  He's gay as the day is long, but maybe that's what helps him have a much better bedside manner.  He truly listened to me.  After he heard everything, he told me that the ultrasounds showed my uterine lining is thicker than it should be and my uterus was 11 cm vs normal of 8 cm.  He said he was going to do a D&C, along with an ablation.  I asked him about a possible hysterectomy and he said we'd cross that bridge when we did the D&C.  They'd do some tissue samples at that point and when the results came back about a week later, we'd know if it was necessary or not. 

So, as of right now, it's a bit of a waiting game.  I have to wait for the scheduler to call me to schedule the D&C and ablation.  I have to wait and see if I have CANCER.  And, I have to wait and see if I have to have a hysterectomy.  Sometimes I can be very patient, but this situation is going to really test that.

4 comments:

Casey Lu said...

I am glad that the doctor had a better bedside manner and that he truly listened to you! I am here for you of you need me! Let me know when your scheduled to go and how I can help out! Thinking of you!

Shelli Clark said...

I am ready and standing by if you need me. Jason is so worried about you. We are keeping you in our prayers day and night. We love you. Keep the faith.

Cindy said...

Was your mom's really cancer? I don't remember it being cancer, and I was in Utah at the time and remember when she had her hysterectomy....

Jennifer said...

I am glad you stood up for yourself and got seen by the doctor. I hope that the things they have planned will work and you can get feeling better. I have heard good things about the ablation. Although it didn't work for me. I hope you won't have to have a hysterectomy. But if you do, I will come take care of you. Love you!