Newspaper Page Text
How
Waiting
Long Is Too Long?
For The Doctor Takes Patients
I had any say in the matter, but it's always good
to put a positive spin on things).
Getting Started
Come January, I went in for my initial con
sultation. There was no one else in the waiting
room, and I only had to
wait about 10 minutes,
so I took that as a good sign. The doctor was
pleasant, and after an initial exam, dismissed
my theory that the polyps were back. She told
me that since I had a full colonoscopy two years
prior, it was almost impossible that there were
polyps. "Okay", I said. I research everything on
line and ask everyone I know, but I'm not the
doctor, and like most people, am inclined to trust
those who have a degree that says they have a
greater knowledge than mine.
"So what shall we do?" The doctor recom
mended a sigmoidoscopy (like a colonoscopy,
but just in the lower part of the colon). This
procedure would not involve drinking two liters
of bitter sludge after fasting for two days.
I only had to avoid eating after midnight
and give myself enemas the morning be
fore. Let me tell you right now, I would
rather drink the bitter sludge.
So, the procedure was scheduled for
the next Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. I was
told to come in at 8:30 a.m. for some
preliminary work. Alrighty then, let's do
it So on Tuesday, the night before, I
decided to be on the safe side and have
my last meal at 8:30 p.m. I resisted
| my usual midnight chocolate (Lindor
darks, yummm) and tried to sleep.
Now, I don't care what you are having
done: heart surgery, face lift, new
• hairdo. If you have a morning ap
pointment, you never sleep all that
well. But sleep I finally did and woke
up alert and nervous, but ready to get this over
with. I had allotted four hours for the process.
1 had opted not to have anesthesia because I
was asked if I could stand about three minutes
of extreme discomfort, and I said I could.
So. appointment at 8:30 a.m. for pre-op.
Procedure scheduled for 9:30. I figured a 30-
minute wait (absolutely unacceptable, but par
for the course, and I have resigned myseu to
deal with this), a 30-minute procedure (three
minutes my ass! I knew better than that) and
a 30-minute recovery. (I was told I could leave
right after the procedure, but I know my body
and soul, and they would both need more than a
few minutes.) I allotted another 30 minutes for
the unforeseen, which gave me time to be out of
the hospital at noon. I could schedule a 12:30
p.m. appointment. Cool.
T . October, I discovered something
JLycLST that led me to think I needed a
colonoscopy. Being over 50, and realizing the
benefits of preventative maintenance, I thought
I should make an appointment with a specialized
doctor. I was having symptoms that were dis
turbing, and I had experienced the same symp
toms two years before which were fixed at
great expense, but hey, what can you
do? We all have choices to make.
Let's see now: colonoscopy—month
in Europe? Colonoscopy—new
used car? Colonoscopy—college
fund for my teenager? Hmmm...
Colonoscopy it is!
Don't get me wrong. Everyone
50 and over should have a colo
noscopy. Colon cancer is very
treatable with a high remission
count if caught earty. Just do it.
It's a pain the ass, but it could save
your life.
Two years ago, by the grace of
my best friend from college, I had
met and become dear friends with
two wonderful and caring doctors
in Charleston who were able to rec
ommend a specialist who promptly
saw me for an initial appointment
(two weeks is pretty damned prompt
in the medical world), and then
scheduled a colonoscopy within the
month. All went well: a pre-cancer-
ous polyp was removed, and I was
sent on my merry way to get tested
yearly and t’' get a full colonoscopy
every few years.
A few months ago. I started expe
riencing symptoms similar to those that
were previously disturbing. I called my
Charleston docs for recommendations. They
knew no one up here. So I did what most peo
ple do: went to the phone book. I started alpha
betically and immediately crossed off the doctors'
offices that did not answer or were picked up
by a machine. When I finally reached a real live
person, I recounted my symptoms and asked for
an immediate appointment. Sorry, nothing until
January. This being October, I was hoping to
get in sooner, but went ahead and made the ap
pointment. I continued to call the specialists in
the phone book, hoping to be seen sooner, but
I never made contact with another real person.
(Okay, what's wrong with this picture? These are
doctors, not Internet providers!) So I wrote the
original appointment
down (I would have called to cancel if some
one else could have seen me) and went about
my regular life. The holidays were upon us and
invasive medical procedures could wait (not that
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