another intro/newbie

[Guest guest]

I've been lurking here over a week trying to get up courage to post so here

goes. My husband and I are newly retired, he still consults at the office a

couple of days a week or month depending on what he wants to do. He has

never smoked but has emphysema which is controlled at this point. Anyhow, we

were making plans for fun times ahead and he started having major bowel

problems. Running to the bathroom about 8-10 times a day. After a couple of

weeks of hearing him in denial - got a flu bug - something he ate, etc. - I

called our doctor and made an appoint. He didn't seem too concerned and

said Bill needed a colonoscopy just to rule out things at his age. Another

three week wait and the colonoscopy was done and the doctor came right out

with the pictures and said " we aren't waiting for a biopsy, he has cancer

and needs immediate attention, no waiting for a month, etc. "

BOOM!!!! Before we left the clinic, an appoint was made with a surgeon for

the following week (too long a time for me). The day before the appoint the

surgeons office called and said he had been called out of state for a week

to ten days and they were re-scheduling with another surgeon. Anger at this

point but he is getting in just a day later than expected. Then two days

later, another call and the second surgeon is going out of country on

vacation!. Back to the first surgeon and now the appoint is pushed two more

weeks away. I finally got hold of our primary (who had been on vacation

for ten days!) and bullied my way thru the office manager to get in and see

him. He was surprised to see us there and said he thought Bill would be in

the hospital. Anyway, he has ordered up a Catscan and some bloodwork and

was calling the surgeon to get our consult moved up. Bills' cancer hasn't

been staged yet but the consensus from both doctors is that it is very

urgent and in ones words " should have been out yesterday " . I think we both

feel better knowing that someone is micromanaging for us.

I am a former nurse so had explained a lot of things including the

possibilities to Bill so he was a bit prepared when the doctor told him he

would be having a permanent ostomy and chemo to follow up. Staying in the

house today waiting for the call re scan appointment.

One last thing - I am so angry that I know what the term 'going postal'

means now.

Jan