Wednesday, September 23, 2009

BMT#1234 - 5'10" - F - xxlb - DOB 11.23.80 - 29 - Hodgkin's Disease - Nodular Sclerosis - Name: not important!

The BMT (bone marrow transplant) planning meeting was pretty uneventful. It was with a different doctor who explained to me that my care is switching departments and I am now under the BMT department which consists of seeing whoever is available as I am managed by a team now. The doctor wanted me to start treatment in two weeks which I told her was impossible. I have so much work to wrap-up, care to set up, benefits to get reinstated and I want a second opinion on the treatment outline. So we decided I would start mid-October.

I spoke with my hematologist about getting a referral for a second opinion in T.O. He was reluctant and really tried to talk me out of it, but I explained to him it wasn’t personal and it was just something I had to do for my peace of mind. I also want to make sure that I'm getting the treatment I need, and not just the treatment that is available. Doctors are not very receptive to this.

I'm feeling a little abandoned by the people that have been treating me. Now that I'm part of the BMT clinic I have new doctors and a new social worker. That will be the third social worker I have spoken with throughout my treatment. I have the best rapport with my current social worker, I don’t want to switch to anyone else; same thing with my hematologist. I’ve spent almost 2 years establish a trust with these people and now when I need the benefits of that relationship and trust I'm switched to new people; and they wonder why I want a second opinion – way to make me feel like a number!

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