Connecting the Dots?

I had yet another visit with the doctor yesterday since I have been having severe headaches and to get the results of my chest MRI. My headaches were debilitating to say the least as I could barely walk to the bathroom and need someone to make sure I didn't fall over. This time it isn't because of the meds they have me on...or at least that we know since the doctor could not answer me as to whether the new prescription would cause vision and hearing problems as well as mobility. I read the hand out from the pharmacist and it clearly indicated that this was a sign I should be examined and taken off the medication. I guess I have to wait until next week when I meet with my latest neurologist who I had when I was hospitalized.

Another issue was the fact that the radiologist never learned the measurement differences and that things can grow or shrink; but in my case grow. As you all know I have a vascular lesion/tumor in my brain located near the parietal and temporal lobes in the center of my head. It happens to lay in between the lobes or hemispheres. In February the neurosurgeon failed to even notice it in the MRI report and in May, June and July they said it had not changed and this month all of a sudden the report states a size and it has doubled since the original report in February (end of the month).

I don't know why but it seems that I have to continually point these things out as well as the fact that I have blood in my urine and have had numerous kidney infections since this all started. It has been a couple of months since the last one but yet again I can tell that one is beginning so I had to request a urine analysis. It seems I have to point out all of the errors they are making and the need for follow up tests. It was kind of ironic that my doctor (primary care) from yesterday said that my cancer enzymes were high two years ago and why no one followed up then is beyond her. She is a bit confused as to why they would show up everywhere but my lungs.

So the learnings of yesterday I had a your clear in the lungs but why didn't we notice the lymphoma possibility years ago...when it could have been stopped. I hope they are in error when they say I have lymphoma throughout my body. Maybe the biopsy is wrong, maybe it is just an infection or an autoimmune disease that they have failed to test me for because I also had to point out that since that was formerly a possibility they never ruled it out but they can just say well we think you have lymphoma or cancer as one doc put it. They all have a different version but they all come down to cancer. Oddly no one paid attention when my various white cells (more than one type) are out of whack. That was more than two years ago and since the numerous rounds and months of antibiotics have not worked it appears it would be lymphoma. Am I the only one who can connect the dots here.

It seems the doctors I see have never done puzzles as children which makes me wonder where they got their degrees or how. Now don't get me wrong I have a ton of respect for doctors but in my case I am getting a bit tired and angry at all the obvious mistakes and negligence in doing clear cut tests that would have given me an answer years ago. I know my doctors are smart and know their stuff but they tell me if I have a fever they don't deal with it or if I have a swollen gland to call this doc but none of them talk to each other so there is no connecting the dots to get a full picture of their patient. Instead they prefer to treat me for their specialty only and refuse to work as a team. Were they not given team building exercises in med school? I know we even had them in college for my Bachelor's degree so I am sure with more schooling they had to learn even more. Confusingly they are all in the same practice so there is no reason for them not to discuss my case and connect the dots. All of my symptoms would make sense if they would talk and just connect the dots but they probably think I am crazy because they fail to look at me as an entire patient.

Perhaps they are afraid of malpractice but all I want is to get better. I hope that soon they connect the dots, do the surgery and the necessary blood work instead of bouncing me around like a tennis ball. I hope they are wrong since no one actually talks anymore it is all paper...don't people believe in playing connect the dots anymore? Anyway it is my primary care doc that I met with yesterday that seems to be connecting the most dots but she is only allowed to do so much because of insurance coverage and her knowledge in certain areas of the human body...she doesn't do cell analysis or surgery or chronic pain management. I wish she did because i am sure she could connect the dots.

Maybe on my next visit I will hand them a puzzle book of connect the dots with a note asking them to talk to each other. on second thought perhaps I will just make a list of docs that I see and ask them to verify the information I provide to make sure i am relaying the proper facts...while await surgery...