Well...The Sequel

I am officially changing Dr. Overworked's name to Dr. Brusque. I thought of going with Dr. Jerk but then that would just make me Patient Childish.

I couldn't even type my follow-up post without putting a few days of space between my initial thoughts and my keyboard. I am, after all, a devout Mormon and a blog post full of swear words would not be very exemplary.

I knew things were going to go badly when it sort of fell out of my mouth that the last time I saw Dr. Brusque, formerly known as Dr. Overworked, for this pain he told me it was only indigestion when in fact there has been a gallstone causing pain all along. Whoops. Blow to his doctorly ego.

He was contradictory and talked over me repeatedly.

He told me a gallstone would be causing me pain under my right rib. I countered with, "NO, it is definitely causing me excruciating pain right under my sternum." He said, "Well that would be pancreatitis and you don't have that, you have indigestion." So I said, "This is NOT indigestion. It is pure agony." Well, I started to say that but he cut me off and said, "LIKE I SAID BEFORE... a gallstone would cause pain here," pointing under his right rib.

So I tried a different approach. I asked him if there was any way he could see the CT images and tell me where the gallstone is located, since a gallstone that has moved and is blocking the pancreas could in very fact be causing what I've described. He agreed that that was possible and IN THE SAME BREATH told me that's not what is happening to me though. I asked again if he can view the images and he said, "NO. The radiologists do that because they have specialized training."

Mind you, all this time I am being as calm and as nice as I can but I realize he isn't going to listen to ANYTHING I say.

I ask, "So it is possible that the gallstone has moved out of my gallbladder?"

He says, "The radiologist's report would have said where that gallstone was."

But it didn't.

I ask him where the report says it is (to prove a point).

He says, (completely ignoring me) "You know, with indigestion you just need to EAT SMALLER MEALS and avoid all those fat, greasy, fried foods."

Well! I think he just called me FAT. Beefy. Fleshy. Heavyset. Portly.

Guess he doesn't realize that prednisone causes weight gain just by THINKING of food. Obviously he just thinks I overeat thus causing my "indigestion". Forgetting the fact that I have mentioned I was on prednisone FOR A YEAR several times just this visit!

(On a side note, since I've gained 75 pounds over three courses of prednisone, I just gotta ask...WHY do all Plus size clothes have a SUPER LARGE hole for your head. My head isn't large, just my body. And also, why do they all look like granny clothes or like someone on speed was in charge of the glitter and jewels and threw them all over the entirety of every shirt I see??? Hmmmm???!!! Hmmmm???!!!)

Aaaaaanyway, at that point in the appointment I resigned myself to the reality that this brusque doctor was going to be right, darnit, no matter the cost, so I just started smiling and thinking about how nice it will be to call my insurance and change primary doctors. Also, how I need to start saving up for a co-pay for a hospital stay since that is the only way I am ever going to get treatment for this gallstone/pancreatitis dilemma. Sigh.