2000-11-16 - 21:36 MST

November 16, 2000

Two Aspirin And Call

Why is it, the sicker you are the more fol-de-rol, fuma-diddle, ding-bat processes and procedures must be slowly struggled through to finally be able to see the doctor ? And the sicker and more drug-out you are, the less able you are to be able to answer questions accurately and intelligently ? Why is that not realized ?

Why is it almost impossible for a woman to convince a doctor, any doctor just how sick she is and just how much pain she is experiencing and how close she is to utter exhaustion is because of what ails her ?

Adequate and honest communication between doctor and patient is of the utmost importance. It really has no significance to the patient for her to sit and hear a recital of all the tests that have been done and the different medicines she has taken in the past -- it should be obvious to the most insensitive of doctors that -- A.-- The tests did not show anything up, B.-- The medcines didn't do the job either, -- C.-- The patient is in front of him, in one way or another according to her degree of ability to communicate, in essence saying, "Hey, Doc, ain't none of this damn jazz worked and nothing has been discovered to cure me, let's go for broke and find out what is the matter and fix me up as much as humanly possible."

It is true that there are some hypochondriacs amongst the population, but I think the percentage is much lower than the medical profession believes. I also know that the perception of pain is a relative thing to each person, it infuriates me to see a doctor prod someone, see the patient flinch and then ask, "does this hurt?" I feel that when a patient says that she is in extreme pain -- SHE IS in pain heavily, far above what she felt with some of the ailments that she has coped with in her past. Especially a woman who has given birth one or more times.

I also think that an attentive, listening and thinking doctor, using the patients records and what his personal examination indicates should be able to assess the seriousness of the matter at hand. I know that sometimes doctors become war weary of the patient overload and also the patients who have already diagnosed their own cases (yeah right -- no degree already). But I think that the doctor should definitely remember that each human is unique unto themselves -- people's reactions and responses can, from one indiviual to another vary widely for the same conditions. I think that this is where the records can be of help. If the record shows that the patient has had little illness in their life there is, I think, maybe a tendency for them to over exaggerate the gravity of their situation and degree of pain.

Most Seniors have pretty well kicked aside the horse apples on the road, the second or third time around. Most of us are used to coping with our own personal level of discomfort commensurate with our own conditions and various ailments. So, most of us when we go to a doctor it is because we are hurting way more than before and are on the verge of total exhaustion caused by the new level of a disorder.

Listen to us please. We have ailed, hurt and have had our wounds healed many times -- we KNOW what pain is. If we knew what to do, we would have taken care of the situation already, rather than waste a doctor's time.

My grandmother, after ailing over the years, visiting many doctors, with out anyone having any idea of what was wrong with her and trudging along through her life finally went to a doctor who thought her case was serious enough to require exploratory surgery. When she was opened he discovered metastastic cancer of the colon. She did not come home from the hospital, not recovering from the surgery.

Heather and our next to oldest daughter -- took her son from doctor to doctor -- they knew that something was wrong by his behavior. One thing that makes me cry even yet is the memory of when he discovered that a constant and heavy headache was not something that everyone had all the time. One doctor said to them that the only thing wrong with the kid was his mother and grandmother. Finally his eye began to bulge and they took him to an opthalmoligist, after a short time he ran in and asked them , "Why haven't you taken this boy to a doctor sooner ? He has a serious condition and should be x-rayed immediately." My two beloved ladies told him that they had taken him to many doctors and that not one of them suggested that he have an eye examination. The x-rays were taken and a brain tumor was discovered. The brainless surgeon for lack of a better term did nothing to determine my grandson's artery and venous system to the brain, so operated successfully on the tumor, but shortly afterwards our grandson began to have seizures, the attention and aid of a nurse could not be obtained as the staff didn't think that it needed any personal attention from them and tried to soothe and calm his mother. I probably am mis-stating his situation from memory of so long ago, but from what I remember, there are two veins returning blood from the brain into the system -- he had only one -- when it plugged up he suffered seizures serious enough that today, in his twenties he has little use of his right arm, none of his right hand and limps.

Doctor's are not God but I do believe that a patient is not listened to and not enough attention is paid to what they say.

A layman's opinion, it does not work any more, the old stale, "Two Aspirin And Call . . . . . .

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