Not Impressed

Well I'm back in Dallas now. Headed down to Houston to get a second opinion from MD Anderson on Monday. Tuesday, starting at 7:30 am, I met with the financial counselor, the social worker, the admissions nurse, my assigned Doctor's nurse, the Doctor's PA, and the finally the doctor. She really didn't have all that much to say. That she wanted to evaluate all the x-ray, CT, and PET films I had brought, but from the reports that had been faxed to her she believed that that initial diagnosis and treatment were correct. In any case, after meeting with her, they drew more blood, and did another chest x-ray. Then I came in at 7 am on Tuesday for a Cardio Scan, which I had not had before, and yet another CT Scan. This time of my head and neck. Apparently it's perplexing to them that my lymphoma didn't start in my neck, but rather my chest. All that was finally over with by 1pm and I was done and got to come home. I think they want to see my again next Tuesday, but if it's just to tell me that they agree with the original diagnosis, that doesn't seem to warrant a trip to Houston. I'm also really damn tired of tests and scans at this point. My policy from here on out is that they REALLY have to convince me if they want to do anymore tests.

I was not impressed at all by MD Anderson, despite all the glowing reviews people gave them. I'm sure they do offer experimental and clinical treatments that no one else can, but I think actually GETTING those treatments would be a nightmare. The whole experience was like trying to get medical treatment at a crowed badly run convention. Everything took forever, if you didn't constantly remind them what you were there for they would promptly forget you were waiting. There were so many people in the lab where I got blood drawn that it was standing room only. The radiology lab left me waiting in an IV chair for half an hour because they thought I had drank barium and was just waiting for it to go through my system. When they finally came and gave me an IV (of which I got a total of 3 while I was there) the actual CT scan took 5 minutes. I can't even imagine what getting Chemotherapy from them must be like. On the plus side they had a very good library on cancer, which I took advantage of. I think I know everything there is to know from a patient perspective on lymphoma. I told the oncologist here in Dallas to go ahead and schedule my chemo, I think it's time to get started.