Oh no you didn't!

[Akasa]

This is a story my best friend told to me this week, but first a little back ground. My best friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer and just got done with chemo. For some reason the doctors say she's not done seeing oncologist(cancer doctors). When she had a masectomy they put in a port to make giving chemo and drawing blood easier, because her veins are known to collapse. Her cancer was the kind that feeds off estrogen, so they gave her drugs to cut off estrogen creation, gave her testosterone, and steroids. To say she's more aggressive than usual is putting it mildly, but understandable when you take all that into account.

For some reason, I don't remember why exactly, she was in an oncologist who was not her own's office. Her appointment was at 3pm. She didn't get seen till 5:30. Then someone comes in and tells her that she needs to set up an appointment to have her blood drawn "because all the nurses left at 5."
Her response? "OH NO YOU DIDN'T! You WILL get someone here to take my blood TODAY! Just because you can't keep track of your appointments is no reason to make me come back!"
They got someone to come and take her blood, then she had to make them validate her parking. "Well our office staff just left."
"Do YOU want to pay for my over 3 hours parking then?"
"Let me find the stamp!"

If that was her regular doctor she would have killed someone by now.

[MoxisPilot]

Your friend is awesome.

I hope she's doing well.

[ArcticChicken]

For some reason the doctors say she's not done seeing oncologist(cancer doctors).

Of course she's not done seeing the oncologist. "Just got done with chemo" doesn't necessarily mean they got all the cancer, or that it won't come back.

She'll have to check in with the oncologist pretty frequently for awhile, then it'll be every six months, then once a year or so. At least, it will if she follows the same pattern as my aunt. It might be more often, or for longer. My aunt didn't need chemo, just a mastectomy.


I cannot believe that other oncologist stays in business if he treats all his patients like that. Good for your friend for standing up for herself.

[sixums]

For some reason the doctors say she's not done seeing oncologist(cancer doctors).

From the sound of it, your friend has a more advanced form of the type of cancer my mom just finished up her treatments for. She'll be seeing her oncologist every six months for a few years, then every year, even though she's finished up with her chemo, surgeries, and radiation therapy. They want to keep in touch, check to see it's not coming back, and generally check in. My mother's oncologist was the nicest woman in the world, and was a huge support system for my family. I know that her caring really helped me, especially the first time I took her to chemo.

I'm shocked at the attitude of that office. I haven't met anyone who works with cancer patients who was anything but sweet. The staff at the place where my mom went went out of their way to help her in any way possible, and were always insistent on validating parking. When I dropped her off for her surgery, they insisted I come into their office to validate my parking because they didn't want me paying to stay with her until they took her up anesthesiology.

You friend absolutely did the right thing, and I think she should speak to someone in her regular doctor's office about how that place treats people. The last thing chemotherapy patients need is more stress, and that is just downright inappropriate.

[Geek King]

A lot of doctors are surprisingly clueless when it comes to staffing the office. Your friend might want to mention it to the doctor next time she's in.

[wagegoth]

A lot of doctors are surprisingly clueless when it comes to staffing the office. Your friend might want to mention it to the doctor next time she's in.

There are a few reasons for this. Most medical offices may pay better than minimum wage, but often not much better. Also, it seems that employees often get the doctors to hire their relatives or friends. My ENT's office has three employees, two of whom I can't tell apart at all, and a third who must be closely related to the other two.

[freeatlast]

My mom finished breast cancer treatment last fall. Thankfully, all of the doctors and nurses at the cancer center she was treated at were wonderful. One of the nurses who frequently did her chemo moved to the town we live in. I run into her at Wal Mart every so often and she always calls me by name and give me a hug. She always tells me to tell my mom she said hi.

When Mom goes to her periodic follow up appointments, her oncologist always asks about me and the nurses all tell her to tell me they said hi. Seemed like we spent so much time with them that they became like part of our family.

They are all really special people and they treat all of their patients wonderfully.

[Andara Bledin]

My aunt once had a run-in with a doctor's office that couldn't keep up with their own schedule.

In her case, she was told that things were backed up, and she'd have to wait at least half an hour. She informed the receptionist that since the doctor charged her for being late, she would charge the doctor for being late, as well.

Wouldn't you know, they seemed to find an opening to get her in to see the doctor earlier than the half hour they'd said.

As for me, I think I'd have to be actually dead before I would wait more than an hour an not start raising holy hell as to why I hadn't been seen, yet.

^-.-^