Mayomail

I received a letter in the mail listing two new appointments at the end of January. One is for a second opinion and the other is back with Dr. Not. ? I didn't make these appointments. I did cancel them though.

Finally called

The gastro doctor from the Mayo called after I waited for twelve days. He apologized for not calling sooner because he was out of town last week. (No one from his office mentioned this). Instead of drilling him about why it took twelve days to get a call (I called the thursday before he left). I feel good that they called back and the doctor was very nice and caring. He said he would do anything he could to help me and if I wanted a second opinion he would have me see another doctor there. I'm already in Chicago and have an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic on friday. But it was very nice to know that the Mayo Clinic did care, even though it was a little late.

Being a sensitive person I do feel bad that this blog is so negative about the Mayo Clinic in Florida. But it is what it is. And that is what it is. If it walks like a duck it is a duck. You know? When I cleaned houses for a living I'm sure there was a job I messed up and there could be a blog about it. I'm sure that the Mayo Clinic gives excellent care in many cases because I've heard people say positive things before I went and while I was there. And they may be right about the scar tissue. I did start taking more xanax because of the "chronic anxiety and depression" statement on the Mayo Clinic form. It didn't have any affect on my pain and it made me very sleepy. So now I'm sure that this has nothing to do with anxiety. When those three doctors said the pain wasn't in the muscles and nerves I have felt mentally worlds better.

I'm planning a new approach when I go to Cleveland. I've colored my grey hair to look younger and I'm going to say three times while pointing to my stomache, "this is trying to kill me, this is trying to kill me, this is trying to kill me". And if they don't find anything wrong will they at least look inside to see what the problem is? My local gastro doctor that I totally love recommended I have laproscopic surgery last year. I'm very nervous that the Cleveland Clinic may send me down the river with a quick muct-be-scar-tissue diagnosis and put me on pain control meds without going over everything else. We will see.

Goodbye Mayo

I've decided not to put one more money egg in this basket. They just don't care about me enough. Bottom line.

This girl is not giving up, I need a second opinion from a high up institution. And I am heading to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. It is supposed to be the best place in the country. If they agree with the Mayo Clinic I will post another blog to give them credit. Otherwise, signing off-

Check out my new blog 'Sick Girl Going to Cleveland Clinic Ohio' at: valerievale2.blogspot.com

Second Opinion Please

Seven days no call. I called the Mayo Clinic appointment line and told them I needed a second opinion and that I was not happy with my doctor, Dr. Not (formally known as Dr. Hot). Second opinions are so okay and common that I knew a place like the Mayo Clinic would hook me up. Especially if I'm unhappy with one of their doctor's. I stood with my shoulders back and head held high.

"You'll have to go through his office to get a second opinion."

I was not expecting her to say that. "Okay, I guess connect me."

I won't make you read through the entire conversation but basically I can't get a second opinion without going through the doctor that I was unsatisfied with.

So after all this Mayo Clinic whoopla, this is where I'm at. I have one doctor from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida who didn't take time investigating any cause of my pain. He looked at my records briefly, did a brief exam and ordered an MRI and a colon x-ray and briefly looked at the results. He determined that I probably have scar tissue problems and need pain management. Between the fasting for the MRI twice and not being notified that they cancelled it and the no return phone call makes me feel like they just didn't give a crap about me.

Then I have three doctor's, two deal with pain management and rehab and the other is a gastro doctor disagree with what the Mayo Clinic thinks. All three of these doctor's were more thorough in the exam, questions and caring. This gastro doctor wants me to TRY the pancreas enzymes. He said it would take a month or two to work.

If the Mayo Clinic is right my scar tissue may get worse and this is my life we are talking about. The thought of having more pain down the road because I didn't listen to the Mayo wasn't acceptable.

I cannot believe that the Mayo wouldn't let me schedule a second opinion. That sucks. That really really sucks.

Day 7 and no call from Dr. Hot

I'm pissed. Wouldn't you be? Maybe I should've asked Dr. Hot for an ID to make sure he really works at the Mayo Clinic.

Walgreen's had to order the pancreas meds and I wanted to talk to Dr. Hot before taking them, to get his opinion. Since the rehabilitation doctor at Mayo was the doctor that I liked the best, I called him. He called back the same day. Thank God. I explained to him that these other three doctor's think Dr. Hot is wrong about the scar tissue causing this pain. He had me hold while he looked at Dr. Hot's notes. When he got back on the phone his tone was a little different. I am sensitive and maybe was reading too much into it. But he said Dr. Hot said he didn't think my pain was inside my body (cavity compared to muscles). If everything here is going to lead back to 'what Dr. Hot thinks' I may be in trouble. He also said he wanted me to have the physical therapy with a certified therapist in manual therapy. I told him I searched everywhere and couldn't find that kind of therapist. He will have his scheduler make an appointment with someone in Jacksonville and then I can see Dr. Hot on the same day. I agreed. I want to have a Mayo Clinic person who touches bodies for a living give their opinion. And I know the Mayo will trust that opinion more.

When I hung up the phone I wondered why his voice changed a little after looking at Dr. Hot's notes. I did receive a standard letter from the Mayo with a copy of my records. I got it out and read it. Mrs. Valerie Doherty is a 43-year-old female with a history of chronic depression and chronic anxiety. What? That is what he typed in after my name. I wasn't acting hysterical in his office nor was I crying. I've had issues with anxiety and depression but none of my friends, family or doctors that know me well would describe that way. It takes me 6 months to a year to go through one bottle of low dose xanax. The only time I had full blown depression was last year when a Northwestern University doctor had me on Reglan for months. It is known to give some people depression and boy did I have it bad. A few months on antidepressants and I was fine. I in no way am a chronic mental case, thank you very much Dr. Hot. Who wouldn't have some mental health issues after going through what I had. The paper also said that I've had this red-hot-poker pain since 2005. Wrong again, this started two years ago, not four. Under 'social history' it says that I enjoy riding. This made me laugh out loud. Me, in tons of pain riding a horse.

Apparently, according to this paperwork, I'm a mental case that has had no change in pain since my girl surgeries and am still able to ride a horse. Wow. Ummm, okay. I really hope Dr. Hot calls by the end of the day. Day seven. Or I'll have to change his name from Dr. Hot to Dr. Not.

The reason why I am not putting the real names of the doctors on this blog is because I come from a family of doctor's. My grandpa was a general practice way back when and my grandma was a nurse. My uncle was an emergency room doctor and my cousin is the most educated woman in our family. She has a doctorate in gerentology-she is a nurse. My dad is an orthodontist, his dad was a dentist. So I kind of feel like I'm on their side too. And in case you haven't figured it out, I am a sensitive red head and I don't like to hurt anyone's feelings, especially in a public way when they aren't here on this blog to defend themselves.

New Eyes

Feeling sick and alone (still no call from Dr. Hot) I went to see the new local gastro doctor. His office fit me in right away because I was in pain. Well, that was refreshing.

His office was very homey and non-hospital like. His paper work was minimal, that was a first. No asking for my life's history, again, refreshing.

This gastro Doctor, Dr. New Eyes didn't think my pain was coming from scar tissue. After careful thought and conversation he said, "I think your pancreas isn't producing enough enzymes. Too see, you can take the enzymes and if your body doesn't need them it will just get rid of it and there are no side effects. It could be a hernia or something else, but let's try this first."

The story girl in me took this new information and ran with it. Yippee!! All day long I thought, this could be it, this could be it!!!!! I knew of two people that had horrible pain problems that involved their pancreas malfunctioning.

I am very curious to hear what Dr. Hot has to say about all of this.

To readers:I get behind in blogging, so the dates on the blog may not go with the dates in the blog. I'm trying to keep a time line even if I don't post for a day or two.

This blog is getting boring

I'm a writer who loves happy endings and I'm sorry that this blog is officially boring and confusing. It has transitioned from a fun way of tracking my journey to a venting tool.

To refresh, the Mayo Clinic thinks I have scar tissue issues that need to be addressed with physical therapy and pain management. When I went to a local doctor, Dr. Smart, that deals with pain and physical therapy, he was ten times more empathetic to my pain and didn't agree that scar tissue is the cause of this torture-like-pain I have. He got a second opinion on-the-spot and they both recommended a gastro doctor for me, here locally. I felt deep down inside that they are right and the Mayo Clinic is wrong. And I know nothing about medicine. What do I do?

I went home and thought about it. I decided to call Dr. Hot from Mayo and tell him what is going on, what the doctor's said. I left a message in detail with his nurse. She said he would call me.

Meanwhile, I made the appointment with the new local gastro doctor. Why not get his opinion on my problem?

Dr. Hot had mentioned I see a urologist about my repeated bladder infections. The urologist was an older man who looked like he should've retired about 10-15 years ago. Wise and old. I liked him right away. He said, "that the colon x-ray the Mayo Clinic gave me wouldn't show very small fistubles. We would have to look into your bladder to see...." I sighed and said,"great, where do I have to go for this test". I was tested out if you know what I mean. He smiled and said, "oh, well we do it right here and it takes about three minutes." They put a scope up my pee hole and looked into my bladder. I watched on the tv screen, every ounce of the inside of my bladder. There were a few cysts, which are normal but I passed the test. I couldn't help but wonder why Dr. Hot didn't give me this easy fast test instead of the one that cost a lot and put me through bowel prep and radiation. I had had a Catscan and a colonoscopy and endless tests before going to the Mayo. I will definitely ask Dr. Hot about this when he calls me back. I was getting annoyed because he hadn't called back yet and two days went by.