Monday, August 13, 2007

Surgery: 2 B or Not 2 B

So I got this letter from my surgeon saying that TCI has decided that before treating me surgically, they have to send Spetzler a letter describing what their impression and findings are.
Then, if HE decides to resign from the case....THEN they will treat me.
It doesn't say they are even asking him to resign.
It sounds more like they are treating it like they are consulting with him.
The same guy who screwed up in the first place.

The message I didn't send let's you understand a little of why I can't stop crying.

First of all, this is what I want you and your partner to understand. Dr Spetzler is highly regarded in the field of neurosurgery. I don’t want to be disrespectful, because the guy does save lives, but that was not my experience. My experience was quite opposite.

I used to cry before having to go see Spetzler. I moved across the US to be able to have the freedom to see another surgeon, because once I stepped into Spetzlers door, no one would even offer second opinions beyond “Well if Spetzler says you need surgery, he would know”
And as naive as I was at that time, I felt safe that everyone trusted him so much.

I am so trusting anymore. Even though I felt very positive about TCI, I am still going to Hopkins to see what they have to say.
And because of that he is.no longer my surgeon.
And whether he has signed off on that or not, it isn’t his decision to make.


What I did end up sending is this:

I don’t understand what the reasoning would be behind contacting the surgeon that screwed up to get his “go-ahead”. I realize there must be more to this that I don’t know about, but I am baffled.
Please explain, or feel free to forward this message to someone who can.


I am such a wimp.

Anyways, anyone ever heard of surgeons contacting the guy who screwed up for permission to take over.
This sounds like the same political junk, that made me need to relocate across country just to get someone else to see me. The only second opinion I have gotten since the day I stepped through Spetzlers door is, "Well if Spetzler say so"

I am devastated.
This guys ego is larger than I have ever seen, and I doubt he would just resign. He would never believe someone else could do anything better than he, The Great Spetzler.

God does all thing for good, for those that love him.

I know this.

But right now, I don't understand

2 comments:

Puglet said...

((((QUELI))))

I wish I had something to offer. The journeys we go through are so strange. I wrote something on my personal blog today about still not understanding what being " fixed" means.

I like the draft you didnt send. maybe at some point you can send that, too.

lace1070 said...

Queli ~ I had a similar experience yesterday where the village idiot surgeon who has saved many a life basically shoved me out the door because he can't see my occult tight filum!! Hang in there ~ This political health care bs has got to stop!!! Hang in there ~ Lace

http://livelovelaugh-lace1013.blogspot.com/2007/08/rising-action.html