Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Today...

Yesterday was actually my first blogger day ever!  I created the site late last nite but couldn't figure out how to post!  So I went to bed.

Today is my first posting! Unfortunately, the only thing I have interesting to post is some concerning news I've learned about my son (23 yo).

He's been having vision problems lately (two weeks?) and finally decided to see an optometrist. The Dr couldn't diagnose him and suggested he go to an opthamalogist.  That Dr suggested an MRI and sent the results to his primary Dr.  That same day, today, his primary Dr diagnosed him with Germ Cell Tumors and suggested my son check into Emergency and recommended a Neuro-specialist who resides at a hospital 20 miles away. The primary called ahead to Emergency to set it up. He presumed there was something that needed to be drained, and that 90% of the time this can be treated with radiation therapy.

We checked him into Emergency and waited about an hour before being seen by the on-call Dr.  He had to wait for the MRI results before he could say anything. They finally arrived another hour later.  He contacted the Specialist who was on his way and would be there in about an hour. The Specialist finally arrives and says he is not an expert with THIS type of tumor, but has a colleague that is and will have his office set up an appt with the new Dr tomorrow.  All he could say was the tumors were at the base of his skull, about one-half inch in diameter, creating pressure that caused his vision problems.  More blood work and a full body MRI will be scheduled to determine the extent of the tumors and a treatment plan.

So, that is my news for today.  I'm home now, with a stiff drink in hand, writing this blog, trying to keep my self occupied...

I'm perplexed at the organization of medical facilities...  My son's primary Dr is in one suburb, he sent my son to a hospital in another suburb (on the opposite side of the metropolis), passing two other Hospitals on the way. Turns out, the "Specialist" was at one of the hospitals we passed (20 blocks from where my son lives)! Only to arrive and say its not within his specialty. Is it any wonder patients are so confused by, and mistrusting of, the medical profession?

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