I knew Barbara had a distrust of people in white coats, but I didn't realize how deeply that vein ran for her.
A textversation this evening made that clear, though.
She was checking in on me after the catheter ablation on March 31st.
- - - - -
Do you feel any different, preferably better, since your surgery?
me: Felt like hit by truck, even hurt to breathe.
Told by on-call doc to take Tylenol.
Did so, back to bed again.
Now, tired, but able to take deep breaths.
Really don't like getting shocked.
B: Being able to take deep breaths is a really good sign!
Hopefully you won't have to do this again.
me: I don't think I could stand to.
I do know I should have asked more questions before this surgery,
so I would have known what was involved.
B: It wouldn't have mattered.
They water down their remarks so that you think it's nothing.
To me that's lying.
It's what they do - just like politicians.
I have a question that makes the docs squirm.
I now ask what should I know that they are not telling me.
I learned "you'll be walking tomorrow" means "you won't even get to
ride in a wheelchair post op and will be totally bedridden for 24 hours."
me: Damn. That's harsh.
me: I believe the doc would have been honest with me.
That's not the issue.
I just would have liked to know more so I could have better prepared for the pain.
I have had some terrible pain this time, right after the surgery and today.
me: I am doing better now than for most of the day.
This [pain] all started about 2 AM.
me: I should have called the doctor's office then, but I was trying to ride out the pain.
Stupid on my part.
B: Now you know why I have PTSD.
I'm glad the Tylenol helps.
Just be sure to take it with food.
B: Hopefully you'll sleep tonight.
I like a fool stayed up til 5:30 watching Pearl Harbor which I'd only seen
in pieces on tv.
Slept all day.
Guess I should fix lunch/dinner and take the garbage out.
B: Oh yeah, it's only Saturday!
me: Hey, as my stepdad used to say, every day is Saturday when you're retired.
- - - - -
And so I had taken that bit of cheer as my exit cue from the phone.
I am so grateful to Peggy Byck, my General Practioner so many years ago, for an excellent insight she gave me about doctors.
They're just people, too, doing the best they can with the information at hand.
She explained that most people who come in with an ailment fall into several categories.
The first category: the patient has something which the GP can diagnose, as the symptoms follow set patterns and test results directly correlate to a specific, treatable, malady.
The GP then prescribes the needed medicines to cure the problem and patient is happy.
The second category: the patient has something which the GP cannot directly diagnose, as the symptoms are not part of any regular disease; however, the GP can determine which specialist should be used to identify the problem.
The GP then refers the patient to a specialist.
The specialist then checks the patient's symptoms to see if a set pattern emerges, using test results to directly correlate the pattern to a specific, treatable, malady.
The specialist then prescribes the needed medicines, and/or performs the necessary surgery to cure the problem and the patient is happy.
The third category: the patient has something which the GP cannot directly diagnose and may even have to use their best judgement to recommend a specialist.
The GP then refers the patient to a specialist.
The specialist checks the patient's symptoms but no set pattern can be determined and test results are inconclusive, which may indicate that a different specialist is needed, or may indicate that a team of different specialists is needed, as the malady may be rare.
I understood.
Now, I tend to view doctors as the people they are: highly trained professionals with concentrations in niche areas.
One wouldn't expect someone with a doctorate in history to teach organic chemistry.
Nor would one expect a foreign car mechanic to repair the city's water purification plant.
We each of us have our own specialties, right?
We just need to bear that in mind and stop expecting other people to be mind readers and wranglers of miracles.
One last thing: when your doctor asks questions, be honest.
They're just trying to help you be the best you can be.
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