Musings of a Distractible Mind - Latest Comments

Re: Spent

Amy — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:54:13 -0000

Thank u

Re: A Letter to Patients With Chronic Disease

Drdebkim — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:14:36 -0000

I'm a 49 year old doctor and I was just diagnosed with a chronic disease which has no effective treatment and no cure. I've had to beg to get appropriate care and I have excellent insurance. It is an eye opener to see the health care system from a patient's perspective. The system is totally broken - I have no idea how patients who are not in the health care field get the care they need. I know when a treatment is wrong/incorrect, I know when a doctor is a jerk and why he/she is acting that way, and I know how to work the system to get what I need (e.g. calling or e-mailing experts in the field to get their opinion and help me get the help I need). I read the medical literature and understand it. I do feel lucky that I have this background as it will probably prolong my life.

It is refreshing for a doctor to "come clean" about how they feel about patients with chronic disease. I got the same treatment as he described. It's frustrating for the doctors and they act out in inappropriate manners. However, I do think a little empathy would go a long way. It's not that hard to try to feel what a patient must be feeling. I know. I am doctor with a lot of compassion for others. Even a "I'm sorry to tell you this about your health but this is what is going on." I don't think that's too hard to do. Nor, is it beyond what I think a doctor should be capable of in his/her daily job of seeing sick patients. The system is designed to harden doctors to not feel other people's pain. I think it just must have gone too far.

Re: Unplugging

Fluto — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:49:47 -0000

I wish you all the best, but I know it won't be easy leaving internet, your blog, your readers and your virtual friends. I am sure you will be back soon :)

Re: Show ‘em Your Poem

Diana — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:10:00 -0000

nice! =D

Re: Unplugging

Kay Allen — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:15:06 -0000

Wow, I am really missing your informative and insightful blog posts. Can't help hoping you will return, and hope you are doing well.

Re: Unplugging

rlbates — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:51:58 -0000

Just want you to know you are still missed. Hope you are doing well.

Re: A Letter to Patients With Chronic Disease

Ms. Kay — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:15:41 -0000

This is a definite breath of fresh air... To have a doctor act normal, show real feelings and emotions and take it on the chin, so to speak...! I lost faith in British doctors, as they have a certain way about them, that does not allow the patient to get to know them or have mutual respect. I was so disappointed with my doctors and I did try a few different ones, just in case it was the only odd one that had problems of a psychological nature... of course we know you are all human and fallible...! But as patients, we expect to be treated with respect...with thought and with good diagnostic treatment... I also understand this is difficult for doctors as patients are not as knowledgeable and do not know what to say or how to explain themselves well.. so a doctor has several jobs to do for sure... I also understand most people do not know how to communicate with their GP, so therefore that does cause significant problems.
I decided to move to France, where most if not all doctors show respect, never act fed up and spend time with a patient as long as the patient needs to get to the bottom of the concern they have. They send you for blood tests and you don't have to be *their counselor * to work out how to approach then so they don't feel bad.. You just have an intellectual conversation with them about our symptoms and ask if it is possible or if they feel that maybe having a blood test might determine any overt causes. They immediately do it, or send you for one.. You are also treated with respect by the people who take the test, and they send it to your home the next day in the post.
They do not hesitate to send you for any test that is deemed to be needed, although they do not have to care about cost.. which is a large problem for doctors in the UK and i imagine other places that are run by government rules dictating what you can or cannot do, spend or cannot spend.
But I have found that I have had to come miles from my family and friends to get the correct healthcare and also my partner who also has a chronic condition (Multiple Sclerosis). She had to have several relapses and still was being considered for any treatment... Both eyes totally affected later, she now has to live with this and other problems due to lack of at least any thought to having treatment in the UK. She waited 3 months, which is quite a long time to see her neurologist in France, she didn't have to get the bus or worry about paying for travelling to hospital as it was paid for her and the taxi ambulance made sure she got there on time and brought her back home also showing respect with a smile. She now gets full treatment and can discuss any other new and up and coming treatments with him and not have to worry about speaking to him right.. He accept she is ill, he is there to do a job, he does it. She had an MRI scan, blood tests etc... due to not having any information from the UK of her condition.. so had to start from scratch. She returned home with her prescription and The next day she had her injections and all other medication she needed ....!

I have the utmost respect for anyone with such powers to express realness and explain that they are just ordinary human beings like everyone else... But they do have a great sense of responsibility, although that is a hard coat to wear 24/7, it was our choice to wear it... People who have such awful diseases don't have the same choices and hope beyond hope that who they see professionally will give them the treatment they need, be understanding and open to any other available treatments available to them.

With respect to your honesty, I do give much credit.. If there were more like you, then maybe people might not feel frightened to call on their doctor and wait till the list of symptoms are too long to deal with all at one go, which does make diagnosis difficult i am sure.

This article will be very helpful to many if not all people, so Thank you for sharing your thoughts as a doctor.
Kind regards
K.

Re: Upper Respiratory Mystery

Owenstx6 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:41:32 -0000

Its because we have become sheep. Dr. Nancy Sniiderman and the like, have scared us out of our minds into believing that our own health IS a mystery and that docs know more than we do. Its a cult, really. Scare tactics (you could die if you don't see your physician), promise-holding elixirs ( not one SINGLE cure, only symptomatic Tx) and propaganda ( Nancy Sniderman's spot on Today show, brought to you by Novartis). Looking for narc cough meds? Are you serious? A school excuse? Yea, because having them home is so fun? You are so far out of touch. Its because we are afraid of trusting ourselves. Or because we have to get back to work before we lose a job. Or if a kid stays home over 3 days, we have to prove they're sick (because god knows, a mom couldn't prove it). Stop you're whining. Your kids will go to college whether or not you're there on Thursday. you're leaving for a lavish vacation soon enough. Ha! You want more medically trained patients? Careful, if they ALL find out you're no more smarter then them, you'll be paid teachers wages and forced to CARE.

Re: How to Grieve

Christina — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:35:50 -0000

Thank you. I relate to what this woman is going through. My brother committed suicide in July 2010 and I feel ashamed for still crying about it.

Re: A Letter to Patients With Chronic Disease

Shanon Rocha — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:08:21 -0000

My daughter is 27 and has just been diagnosed with hypogammaglabullimia (?) and CVID. It has been a war to get a diagnosis but after 17 hospitalizations in 2 years and a multitude of bacteria, viruses, infections, near death experiences, finally we have some answers. She got so tired of hearing "you're a zebra", "we thought the candida in you blood was just a fluke the last 4 TIMES YOU WERE HOSPITALIZED", "some of these infections we have never seen before". I finally suggested they test her IgG and after 3 weeks of 6000 platelet level, 4 transfusions of platelets they finally complied with the request and there it was. No (0) NK cells, IgG and others. During the 3 weeks we took on chiefs of staff, hospital administrators, resident heads and 4 different teams trying to CYA as to the reason that 6 gram pos. and neg. bacteria's were instroduced after entering their world class facility. For 10 years she and I have fought this battle and frankly I really am not prepared to sympathize with a medical profession that would rather she die than to frustrate them with a rare disorder that they cannot fix. The answer is not for Dr.'s to be more understood it for Dr's to think outside the box, be more tenacious and listen.

Re: Unplugging

Dr. Jeff — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:42:20 -0000

We will definitely miss you, Rob. But I completely understand. I made a similar decision a few months ago, and I've been amazed at how much more time I have. When you get to the point that you feel like you have to post instead of looking forward to posting, it's time to step back and re-evaluate. You're a great writer, storyteller, and human being. Regardless of whether you return to blogging, I sincerely wish you the best. And if you ever become a fiction writer I'll definitely be reading your books!
Jeff Knuppel, MD

Re: Unplugging

Roy fromShrinkRap — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:57:04 -0000

Rob, just stopping by to say we miss you... especially your humor. Enjoy your unplugged time.
-Roy

Re: Unplugging

Trisha Torrey — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:12:21 -0000

Rob - Just wanted you to know that I've missed your wit and wisdom for weeks now. I certainly respect your decision to unplug. But sometimes it's nice to know when you're missed, too.

Like Kim, I'm keeping the Golden LLama on my blog, too.

Hope you'll check in on occasion to let us know how you're doing.

Trisha Torrey
Every Patient's Advocate

Re: Unplugging

Kim — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:36:33 -0000

My honest, from the gut, totally selfish response: oh freaking hell! : (

My honest, from the gut, totally non-selfish response: : ( I know this was not an easy decision to make, because it is one that I have pondered recently, myself, albeit (for now) to a different conclusion. Stay in touch and let us know how it goes off-blog. For the record, The Golden Llama stays on my blog. I worked too hard for it! ; D

Re: LipiTeen? When to Check Cholesterol in Kids

BK — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:15:56 -0000

I 100% agree with you Dr. Rob! My pediatrician just screened my 2 year old for lipids...he wasn't fasting (in fact, he was eating/drinking milk right up until the draw) - and his total cholesterol was 215 and LDL 147. Now she wants to have him fast and check apolipoproteins so we can "have a baseline"! My son is not obese (<85th percentile for weight) and is active and has a great diet. I refuse to "restrict" a 2 year old based on these numbers! I also refuse to have his blood drawn again...(wouldn't have done it the frist time if I had known that is what she sent us for...I thought it was for a CBC and a lead level (required by daycare)). If the number is lower, that's great, and it's not going to be higher...either way, I can always give him healthier foods, so the "re-test" is not going to make much difference. Also, he is little, and it took 5 sticks to get his blood! Ouch. If she wants it, my pediatrician can go and physically restrain him at the lab. I refuse.

Re: Vote Llamacrat!

Ann — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:15:25 -0000

SCOTUS = Supreme Court of the United States. Sorry but I just found this blog. I knew the answer, so I replied, even this late.

Re: Unplugging

HaveMyelin? — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:48:30 -0000

Oh no...! As soon as I get hooked on your blog, you go.

Re: To Die Well

Lizzie — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:17:32 -0000

This story is incredibly moving. I only just stumbled upon your blog but I'm so glad that I did, since I enjoy the variety, but also the pieces like this which show a wealth of wisdom and experience.
I look forward to exploring the rest of your blog.
Many thanks!

Re: Unplugging

Amanda — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:26:43 -0000

Understood, Dr. Rob. You have always been a joy to read. Go well.

We'll take care of the stray llamas.

Re: A Letter to Patients With Chronic Disease

Teams — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:46:48 -0000

Calling all people!!!! Please start looking for Dr's that practice holistic medicine. Modern Dr's treat the symptoms of disease by using toxic medicine to control them. Think of the many people whose lives have been ruined by bad meds. Modern doctors tend to think inside the box rather than the box inside and out and all the area around. Think about the history of medicine where did it start? Yes people did die from illness back then but many lived. The old folklore you heard of home remedies, think about it. Wish all Drs. could be like Patch Adams.....if you haven't seen the movie with Robin Williams you must. He bent the rules at medical school and challenged conformity. The medical profession has lost its compassion for the human race. Patch Adams is still a practicing doctor with a huge compassion and understanding for the sick. Things won't change unless people stop paying for the useless help that many doctors give and seek other alternatives. Why do you think there is a huge movement towards holistic health care? Not all doctors fall into this category, but many of us have encountered enough of them that makes us want to voice an opinion in a negative manner. I have had many good docs but about as many have been just too busy to care because they schedule two patients in one minute and take home a chunk of change.

Re: Customer Service

Nwvintagedance — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:38:28 -0000

I lost a molar(!) after biting into something in a Trader Joe's Chicen Sausage I had bought the same day. I cracked the tooth and had to have it removed as I didn't have 3500 for an implant.
Both Trader Joes and the Villa Roma Sausage company denied my claim as I couldn't produce what broke the tooth. The whole process was painful and humiliating.
I now am employed and am going through the lengthy, painful and expensive process of having an implant installed.
I haven't shopped at a Trader Joe's since (Dec 2009) and encourage everyone and anyone I know not to patronize them.

Re: Unplugging

leorising — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:20:07 -0000

Wishing you only the best, and much good luck.

Re: A Letter to Patients With Chronic Disease

dying of cancer — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:14:12 -0000

The one thing you miss is the "business of medicine" as MD's sometimes gets in the way of good health care. Whether its using incorrect data supplied by a drug rep, paid by big pharma to "detail studies and drugs" in conferences that really give no overall survival to patients or sheer incompetence, there are other factors which get in the way of "good medicine" Dr. Money, and "disease mongering" led by big pharma, and leveraging Md's CAN SOMETIMES lead to a lot of suffering and incorrect care! SOMETIMES I SAY!

Re: Unplugging

Bianca Castafiore — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:28:16 -0000

Thank you for the many gifts given, not the least of which was Llama Lore.

Re: Unplugging

bongi — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:56:32 -0000

go well.