Delays

I've spent most of the day trying to post my latest blog entry. Unfortunately, I was never able to access my blog-- I kept getting error messages. I will try to post it tomorrow.

The latest is that the MRI identified a possible source for my cancer. So tomorrow I am scheduled for an MRI-guided biopsy. I'm not sure if that means they will use the results of last week's MRI to point them to where to "drill" or they will do a new MRI to point to where to take the biopsy. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

It's kind of interesting to talk to my brother, Shawn. On Monday we both were meeting with doctors. I was meeting with my new surgeon and Shawn was scheduled for an angiogram.

Up until two months ago, Shawn was running every day and biking. He was running around 18 miles a week and doing half-marathons. Then he hurt his knee and couldn't run for 6 weeks. His knee healed, but he was having difficulty running even 600 yards without stopping for breath. In the past few weeks, he's had an EKG and a stress test. Monday he had an angiogram and now the cardiologist wants to see him tomorrow to go over the results. He's thinking that approach does not sound promising.

So, we are comparing doctor visits. I really like the surgeon I was referred to. Her name is Teresa Reading. What I most appreciate about our visit was that it truly was a "consultation." She has a friendly, even collaborative approach, even though the results from the MRI were still not in. She answered my questions. She outlined the most likely options (assuming I have breast cancer) and I explained what my preferences were. When I was finished, she said, "I think that's a good choice"-- or words to that effect. She probably would have said the same regardless of what I said, but I left feeling like we were truly working together.

It is crucial to find a doctor that you trust. I particularly appreciate a doctor who is unfraid to say "I don't know, but we'll find out." One of my friends says that "Arrogance 101" is required for all medical students. I think there's a difference between confidence and arrogance. Dr. Reading exuded confidence, but seemed totally devoid of arrogance. She treated me as though I had some degree of intelligence and that my input into the decision-making process carried the same weight as hers.

Shawn likes his family physician. Some of the doctors he's dealt with lately, however, seem to maintain a strict boundary between doctor and patient. Doctors are allowed into the information loop, but information is doled out to patients on a "need-to-know" basis. Doctors dictate to patients and patients comply.

Superheroes may have specialized skills and experience, but they understand that people have a right to make informed decisions. They aren't afraid to share information. I'm so grateful to have doctors who see me as part of the team, particularly when making decisions about my life. We'll wait and see if future dealings with Shawn's doctors will cause him to revise his first impressions-- if they will let him make the decisions about his future or if they will dictate what his future will be. More later...