ANA Discussion Forum
Treatment Options => Microsurgical Options => Topic started by: NancyMc on February 17, 2009, 08:51:25 am
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So, I happened to call one of the surgeons' offices this morning, nine days before my scheduled translab procedure, and the receptionist asks BTW if I am aware that my surgery date has been moved. What?!?!?!?!? I had planned to make the four-hour round trip to Boston on Monday for MRI, chest xray, and bloodwork as well as office visit with neurosurgeon to sign consent and then return on Thursday evening for Friday's surgery. I had housing arrangements for me and my friend who will be visiting me daily in the hospital. He scheduled his work around my schedule. The receptionist said that tentatively my surgery is planned for April 8, just a month before I was planning to fly to Scotland for my son's 21st birthday, but they might be able to move it up to March 13, my mother's 90th birthday when my brother and his wife are flying up from Texas to surprise her and stay with me. She hopes to have a date by the end of this week, but that could change as well. Maybe I should just put myself back on wait and watch.
Can you tell I'm a control freak?
Will I ever be a postie? :'(
Nancy
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Oh Nancy...that is terrible - I am so sorry!!
:-[
K
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Bummer!!! I wonder when they were going to tell you.
Grace
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So sorry, Nancy. How disappointing - got yourself all psyched up and everything planned for the big day, and then they cancel on you. Unfortunately, this does happen fairly often, but I'm with Grace, wonder when they were going to tell you. Good thing you called!
Let us know how things work out,
Cindy
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That is torture >:( My first surgery in 2001 was changed by one day and I broke down in tears!! I recently had another surgery, Translab, on 1/26 got a cold 5 days before and almost had a meltdown thought it would have to be rescheduled. Luckily, I was well enough to go thru with the surgery. Sooo sorry to hear about your surgery being rescheduled I can truly sympathize with that. Keep us posted on the new date :-[ :-[
Jen
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It seems that doctors do things for their convenience, not the patient. It doesn't even seem to occur to them that changing the date would be a major inconvenience for you, your family, the plans that you've already made, or anything else pertaining to your surgery. That's highly inconsiderate of them. I do hope it all works out beautifully for you, in the end.
Don't you wish you could just smack 'em sometimes, though!
Sue in Vancouver USA
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Smacking would be good!
Grace
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Nancy -
That is awful! Don't they realize that people have to plan ahead for these things? It's not like we can all drop everything and swing by to have brain surgery. Did you tell them about the arrangements you had already made? They may not do anything about it,but maybe they'll at least feel bad and think before they do this to someone else.
And if that doesn't work, I second the smacking thing.
Lori
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I love it! "Swing by to have brain surgery!" Oh, I told them how they've screwed up my life alright. I'm going for a long walk to clear my head and regroup.
Now this is what I call a support group.
Thanks, Every One of You!
Nancy
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Did they give you a reason? My surgery was scheduled for first thing on a Monday morning and they told me if there was a rough weekend (this was in Detroit) with gunshot wounds to the head, etc. I might be bumped, but yours is a different thing altogether.
I'm very sorry for your delay and the scheduling conflicts it has caused. Maybe if they can't reschedule sooner than April you should wait until after your trip to visit your son?
Sara
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Sara,
They said that someone with more urgent need displaced me. I would love to wait until next winter, but I'm concerned that my tumor is growing rapidly. There was virtually no growth for the six years since diagnosis, and then in the seventh year it doubled in size. It has pushed the canal open. I'm concerned that it might be starting to stick to or become entangled in places where it is not now. But then I worry a lot. There is the chance that my insurance could be terminated as well.
Whatever. It could always be worse.
Thanks for your commiseration.
Nancy
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Hi Nancy. I am so sorry to hear your surgery is being rescheduled - wow, surely they must realize this takes a team effort (for recovery.) No-maybe they DON'T realize that part! (Seems to be much evidence of that here on the forum.) -- My younger sister had hip replacement surgery and we had the whole family helping. Then, she did it 2 more times from bad hardware (!) She really started asking 'hard' questions and trying to control her own outcome as much as possible. So i don't blame you a bit for feeling the same way!
I worry about growth myself; but not half as much as my insurance being terminated (or losing my job so it is terminated.) I really am considering treatment soon after the 6 month MRI follow-up, so i can stop worrying about these things. It is stressful.
So know that you are not alone and feel free to vent anytime!
As for delays - my first child was to be taken C-section on a Monday - oops, they called me at 5:00am and said , '...no room at the 'inn', please come back tomorrow.' She was finally born on Wednesday afternoon!
Sue
PS My mom just turned 80 years old on Jan 1st and we had a BD lunch with 4 of 5 children present, plus nephews and nieces and their spouses. I would tell the surgeons office 'please schedule me on March 14th or 15th' - and then enjoy the day with your mom and family!
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Ow, Nancy ...
I'm really sorry to hear about this scheduling mess. I hope it works out soon, and in your favor!
Once you've made your decision and are all prepared for it, it's hard to delay. I agree with Sara, maybe you could wait until after your visit with your son?
Elaine
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Nancy ~
The surgery scheduling shuffle you've had to deal with is obviously exasperating and clearly inconsiderate of the doctors/hospital involved. My surgery situation was just the opposite. My neurosurgeon was very anxious to operate and only a cancer scare (that, thankfully, turned out to be a false alarm) forced a delay for another week because he had to re-reserve an OR as well as reschedule his entire surgery team. I had no big plans and just went with it. Fortunately, it all turned out well. I wish you the same when you finally undergo your surgery.
Jim
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Maybe it's not so much that they changed the date, it just sounded like they had an "oh, by the way..." kind of attitude that sort of irritates you. It almost sounded like you would have shown up for your surgery and they would have looked at you blankly and said, "Oh, didn't you get the memo?" That kind of thing..... ;)
Hang in there,
Sue in Vancouver
PS
Lori, you made me laugh too. Swing by for brain surgery.. hee hee ;D
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Mary, I think you should swing by for brain surgery. Just pop in and say "would now be a good time?" ;D
I also think you should send them a bill for $25 for canceling the appointment. I know my dentist always threatens to do that. ;)
So now you are back on watch and wait for a surgery date. You may have to take what you can get, and if it is your mother's 90th birthday, then call it a present and let your brother and his wife take care of you.
Steve
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Steve,
I would pop in every day if it weren't a two-hour drive each way without Boston traffic. Instead I call once or twice a week. My friend, who is a musician among other things, canceled a week of gigs so he could take care of me post-op, and he doesn't get that many gigs. I think they should put us up at the Ritz for the inconvenience.
Nancy
funny how people call me Mary some times
i've been told i look like a Mary ;)
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Yikes, where did I get Mary? Must be that MaryBKAriz. Sorry about that, Nancy. :-[
Steve
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Steve,
No worries, my dear. ;)
Nancy
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Nancy -
in light of how this is going to interfere with the rest of your plans, just let me say it bluntly. This truly sucks!
If it's any consolation, at least they had to cancel the surgery for a good reason. Not that someone else's misfortune is a good thing, but at least it wasn't because the doc was going to Hawaii or something ::)
Mary (er, make that Jan)
Lori - you never fail to amuse me. Swing by for brain surgery LOL :D
You are a comedic gem ;D
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Nancy,
Maybe they'd be willing to PAY your friend for providing music while you're in the OR? I mean, if he's going to be there anyway, might as well put the time to good use - you'll be asleep anyway! :D
Lori
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Hi Nancy,
Sorry to hear you've been bumped -- that has to be so frustrating. I'm glad to hear you gave them a piece of your mind over this -- even if there was apparently a good reason that doesn't really help you. I hope everything works out okay for you in the end, I'm starting to believe that sometimes there is a bigger reason this kind of thing happens.
Best wishes,
Wendy