Bigger is NOT Always Better!

So, I went to see a new specialist today. One thing that I have encountered time and time again is that bigger is not better! Just because the hospital is bigger doesn’t mean they’re better or smarter, AT ALL! Just because the hospital is known to be good, doesn’t mean all the doctors that work there are! And just because the hospital is in a bigger city, does not mean it’s the best! I will not be going back to the specialist that I saw today. After sending my records to her, per her request, two weeks prior to my visit. Also, giving her paper and cd copies for her viewing as soon as I arrived, per her request, so she would have the best idea about my journey thus far, she knew nothing! She recommended that I try physical or occupational therapy, I let her know I had already completed four months worth of OT which was in the paperwork she had. She recommended that I try Ketamine, I let her know I had already tried that and yet again, this was in my paperwork.

She then tells me that she didn’t think I have a neck injury and suggested that I have an MRI. You guessed it, the MRI results could also be located in the records she had. I let her know that I indeed did have an MRI. She asked if I had a paper copy of the report which I gave to her. She says, “Well, I guess you do have a neck injury.” She goes on to tell me, “I will need some time to review your MRI images. You’ll just have to give me time.” She goes on to tell me she wanted me to come back in 4-6 weeks so she had time to review my MRI. Listen, I just drove 5 hours to see you and you’re trying to tell me I need to give you time to review my information that you’ve had for 2 weeks? No, but thank you though for wasting my time and money to come see you! She said she doesn’t stay that booked so I should have no trouble getting in, this was the last clue I needed that I wasn’t where I needed to be. You’re a specialist who’s been in practice 30 years and you don’t stay booked?!

She says you don’t have any discoloration that I can see. Funny that you’re the only person who doesn’t see the red and blue discoloration on my chest! If you would even look and compare you would notice the tissue changes as well! She then searched and searched for my incision, while it’s healed very nicely it’s not that hard to see when you’re looking for it and I’m pointing it out! She touched my incision repeatedly and said, “This doesn’t hurt though!” “Yes, it does!” I said firmly back to her with tears whaling up in my eyes. I got extremely frustrated with her and started bawling. She says to the resident, “Look she’s crying, she just wants help and to feel better.” After hearing that comment, I couldn’t help but feel like she needed to see me to cry before she would believe me. I’m not one to cry, especially not out in public so then I get even more frustrated! Frustrated with myself for letting her get to me and frustrated with her for apparently being her! I’m not really sure where this lady came from, but I should have listened to my gut after reading her physician scores online. For those not aware that you can look information up about your doctor online, this is a pretty good way to check them out ahead of time. I’ll be grading said physician myself to hopefully deter others from having to endure such a visit, it was quite terrible.

She goes on to tell me she thought I might be one who thinks hmmm, do I have that? Then, after thinking on it decide I do. I wish I would’ve been in the mindset to say, “Maybe I can think I don’t have CRPS and this nightmare will go away!” I wouldn’t wish how I feel on anyone, but boy would I like her to experience it for just one hour! Then, maybe she wouldn’t treat people this way! Maybe she would have just a smidgen of compassion! Like, how are you even in the medical field?

She further told me that she didn’t feel I had thoracic outlet syndrome. Not really sure where she came up with that since I had two surgeons at two different locations diagnose me with this. Never mind, the fact that I had surgery to correct it. I asked her if I didn’t have thoracic outlet syndrome, what she thought I had and she said she didn’t know. I’ve always heard doctors like this exist, but this was my first encounter with one. I can say, without a doubt, that physicians like this do not exist at the hospital where I work. They certainly don’t raise their voices and get onto other staff, including residents, in front of patients. Which is just another thing that happened today. She had me explaining my pain which I started by saying, “I have a lot of burning, stinging and stabbing pain in my chest and it shoots down my arm…” She stops me here and turns to the resident and says, “Don’t use the word shoots to describe pain.” He says, “Should I use radiates?” She replies, “I prefer to use travels. When people say things like shoots or radiates it’s like they’ve read it in a book somewhere to come up with it, don’t use those words.” Yes, this nurse of over twelve years also read these words in a book to come up with them! I mean literally, the list of things that happened today goes on and on. Patient-centered care was not the care I received today, not even a little bit! But one thing is for sure, I won’t be seeing her again to have to even worry about it!