Yet ANOTHER delay!!!
By daeckardt
@daeckardt (6237)
United States
March 14, 2011 8:00pm CST
For those who have been following my chemo saga, there is a new delay. Apparently the study coordinator tried to call me last Friday to tell me I had to go in this morning for more labs and to sign more paperwork. I didn't get the message, but I called her this morning to find out if she had heard anything about when I would start my treatments. She told me that I needed to be there this morning to sign some more papers and they needed to draw the labs again. I called my brother for a ride and at first he told me that he didn't have the car. He called me back a few minutes later and told me his wife was going home in order to take my nephew to school (his dad had told him he could stay home for the day due to transportation issues). He got me there and they drew the labs. I got back home and laid down because I haven't been feeling well the last several days. The study coordinator called me back a couple of hours later and told me they forgot to get a urine sample so I could either come in tomorrow to give that or I could forget about the study. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Has this happened to you before? What is the longest delay on having something happen because of this kind of bungling?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@GardenGerty (169452)
• United States
15 Mar 11
My sister jumped through hoops each time her cancer returned. Her issue, however, was the HMO. It seems like you need to be their mother and hold their hand so that they do whatever they need to do. I guess any time you see them you need to ask them if they have covered everything. If they take blood, ask them if they want urine as well. It seems that sometimes the people who need treaqtment are the ones who actually get mistreated.
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
15 Mar 11
I was talking to the study coordinator last week and she said that on this particular study they had requirements that were different than most so that is why some of the things weren't done in the beginning. She didn't tell me why they had to draw the labs again, but she did tell me that they changed the paperwork so that is why I had to sign it again. If they don't hurry up, I may die from the cancer before they start treating it. It has already been two months. The first time I talked to the doctor after surgery, she told me that if I did nothing that I would last a year. That is already 1/6 the way gone! Oh dear! Thanks for the response!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169452)
• United States
15 Mar 11
Makes me want to drive over there and run you around until it is all taken care of. You know you only live six hours from me.
2 people like this
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
15 Mar 11
No! Not again. I am so sorry to read this because I know they hassles they put you through. Gee it seems as if they think your health can go on a paper schedule. I have not to date have had any health issues but do know what is like to finally get to a dreadful moment to then later be told rescheduled again!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
15 Mar 11
Remember the song from HeeHaw (or was that a little before your time?):
"If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all..."
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120664)
• United States
15 Mar 11
Oh man that is frustrating. I understand mistakes happen, but that's just terrible. You've got enough problems without having simple things like urine and blood test scheduling getting mixed up. It reminds me of when they told my dad to fast for a day (he had prostate cancer and was getting ready to have surgery to remove it) for a test, and when he showed up the next day he commented on how hungry he was. They were very surprised and told him the test he was getting did NOT require a fast. He hadn't had anything in 24 hours, for no good reason.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
15 Mar 11
I don't think I would be very happy about being told that I didn't have to not eat after not eating for a day. How is he doing now? I will have to see if I can get someone to give me a ride today because my brother won't be able to transport me today. I do have a lady who offered to give me rides in the afternoon as long as it wasn't on Monday or Wednesday. Talk to you later!
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
15 Mar 11
crap!! they need to get their act together. this your life they are fooling with. yes, the last bungling was when my hubby had that surgery for bi-pass. then the doctor that done it said he saw cancer in his colon, but just sewed him back up because he didnt want to contaminate his surgery. by the time they got him in for the cancer, it was every where . even in his sutures 
so his last days were miserable. i was lucky myself to get a good team of doctors. wish this could have happened with him. anyway, im praying they will help you like i was helped. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
15 Mar 11
Tell me about it! I wish they would get their act together! If the doctor saw cancer in his colon, why wouldn't he at least tell someone so that they could get him taken care of? I'm not sure what you mean by "contaminate his surgery". Did he think that taking care of another problem would cause an infection or something? How long between the bypass and the treatment for cancer? I hope they hit that doctor with a malpractice suit because if that isn't malpractice, I don't know what is! It does sound like you had good doctors. I think the team that was involved with my surgery did a good job and I am pretty much recovered except that I'm still sometimes having trouble with the colostomy. I'm sure given time, I will get that skill down as well though. Thanks for the response!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
16 Mar 11
I think I would have sued even if there was no chance of winning! It just isn't right that he didn't contact someone else to take care of the cancer right then and there! When I had my surgery done in January, there were three surgeons there: the general surgeon (whose job was supposed to be to remove a portion of the colon), the urologist (who was supposed to remove a portion of the bladder), and the gyn/onc (who was there to verify that the cancer either did or did not come back). Well, they didn't do the fistula repair because there was too much cancer in the colon and everything was stuck together (intestines, colon and bladder) so they would have had to take them all out which would have left me with two ostomy bags. One is bad enough! I don't know if the repair will ever be done, but at least the cancer was being handled from the beginning rather than the other surgeons saying it's not our problem. Have a great day!
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
16 Mar 11
That would be very upsetting. It is scary enough having cancer then for them to take there time with it and them not being very resposible on everything they are supposed to do. They need to make sure they have you do everything they need you to do right then and there instead of letting you know later on. Hopefully they get started fast.
1 person likes this
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
16 Mar 11
Hopefully you do start your treatments next week. Hopefully it isn't another delay. Thank you for keeping us up to date on how things are going.
