Cindy’s Multiple Myeloma Blog

From the beginning, this urology thing doesn’t seem right.  Someone was supposed to call me Friday to make an appointment with me for the week of July 7th, next week. While I really like the Neurosurgeon and her Resident doctor, the nurse, Ron, leaves something to be desired. Ron seems very full of himself.  He does not dress like he is a nurse or working in a medical office.  He dresses like he is trying to pick someone up, and it would not be a woman.  That does not matter, but I’m giving you the plain facts.  He wore some shiney shirt, very nice black dress slacks and dressy shoes.  Why would a male nurse dress as if he’s going out to dinner in a fancy restaurant or something.  He’d be overdressed for church or the office, it was more dressy like impressing a date.  It surely was not what you’d expect a nurse who takes your blood pressure and such. 

I am describing Ron in such detail because I’m getting ready to accuse of him of lying to me.  He told me that he could not get me into a urologist this week because ‘they are all out of the office this week.’  I wasn’t going to argue with him or ask him why they would be out of the office an entire week, etc.  I just said, ‘fine.’  So, as of last Friday, I was told someone would call me later in the day to set up an appointment for the following week, probably July 7th.  Ron also said that if I should have any problems in the meantime, like not being able to express myself at all, to just go to the emergency room.  OH, but don’t go to KU on a weekend because I would likely be waiting at least 2 hours.  Whatever. 

After no call on Friday or Monday for an appointment, I called yesterday, Tuesday.  I left a message for “Sue” plus I wanted to talk to Dr. Kelley, the Resident doctor, because I had some questions about my numbness.  As I was talking to Dr. Kelley about my questions, he asked when i was getting in to an urologist. When i told him the deal, I could tell he was a bit irritated.  I think when I told him the ‘urologists were out of the office for the week’ he knew I was told a fib.  When I was talking to Dr Kelley, it was really too late in the day and no one would probably be calling me. He told me to call Ron first thing tomorrow morning and that Ron knows what to do to get things going and that he should do it, so for me to call Ron. 

This morning I get a call around 10:00AM. I still had not called Ron.  It was Sue.  She said she’d had 2 cancelations and could I take a 1:30PM or 2:15PM. I told her I’d ask a friend to take me, to call me back.  My friend couldn’t take me, but I decided to cowgirl up.  Something tells me that I need to look into this bladder think asap.  So, off I went.  I brought my walker and did fine.  I used Valet parking, too.

The nurse, “Salome”, for the urologist also left something to be desired.  She was rude, aloof, and I could tell she did not enjoy her job.  She didn’t acknowledge I was a human being at all.  She walked way ahead of me, and I could barely hear her as she gave me instructinos to pee in a cup, then go to room #223.  OKay, fine.

But then, when she takes my Blood Pressure (BP), she puts the sleeve on, pumps maybe 3 times and it never squeezes my arm, she places that silver thing on my arm, and in 5 seconds she’s done!  I’ve had my BP taken enough to know something is wrong.  I’m processing slowly, perhaps I’m just in complete awe at how brazenly she did NOT take my BP!  As she started to leave, I asked her what my BP was.  Usually the nurses tell you as they take it.  She says, “110/80″.  That’s perfect BP.  My BP has been quite high lately due to me being in such discomfort.  It’s been so high that the nurses always comment on how high it is.  When I asked her, she was taken back some and when she responded, she seemed uncomfortable.  After she left the room, it dawned on me that she didn’t even take my BP and that she was just cutting corners! 

I didn’t want to get her in trouble, but I was fuming.  I said a quick prayer to the Lord for me to handle this in the right way.  I should have prayed harder.

Dr. W, the urologist came in about 10 minutes later.  He’s an elderly man and while a very nice man, I was not impressed with him all that much…unfortunately.  After he asked me a few questions, I told him about what the LPN had done, or rather not done.  I asked him if he could have her take it again, but with him in the room.  He would do so, but he also told me that my BP wasn’t all that big a deal.  [The urologist I had that saved my kidney years ago told me that my BP would go up if my kidneys were getting too full--so what Dr. W said concerns me a bit..]  I just said that maybe it’s not a big deal, but for a  nurse to do that, well, it’s just not nice.  That’s about the exact words I used; I didn’t know any other way to word it.  I meant to use the word “unethical”. 

Anyway, sure enough, the LPN takes my BP this time the right way.  Then she acts surprised and goes, “oh, it’s 130/88″.  I said, “ya, because you didn’t take it before.”  She starts to say she did, and I said, “No, you didn’t, you barely put the thing on my arm and didn’t pump it up all the way.”  Dr. W got all nervous and just started talking about what we’re going to do next, changing the subject.  The LPN left the room.  I didn’t say anymore. 

Dr. W says that I need to start self-catheteriing myself.  Oh joy. 

Filed under: Doctor Appointments, Multiple Myeloma and