Tonight's picture was taken in July of 2009. Though this photo is a bit blurry or cloudy, I absolutely love it! I remember this day in the clinic as if it were yesterday. Next to Mattie is Maya! Maya was the ONLY same aged friend Mattie made at the hospital. Mattie's other two friends (Brandon and Jocelyn) were older than him. Maya was the girl counter part to Mattie. She is very bright, speaks her mind, and is a force. She lights up a room, not unlike Mattie. I will never forget how these two became friends. On a different clinic day (not pictured here), they were sitting around the art table. Mattie was working on an art project, along with other kids sitting at the table. But it was pretty quiet at the table. Until Maya said, "I hate needles." That was it, Mattie quickly responded that he understood and he hated them too. Their friendship blossomed over this innocent statement. In this photo, Mattie and Maya designed the box with the red curtain that you see. This was NO ordinary box. This box represented a planet and the silver thing inside was a flying saucer. They not only created the box, but they concocted a play around the box. They were acting it out here and I couldn't help but snap several pictures of this event. What you can't see from this photo was the fact that the table was surrounded by people watching the performance!
Quote of the day: We're paying the highest tribute you can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple. ~ Harper Lee
Tonight's quote is from the well known book, To Kill a Mockingbird. I would say that most people approach their doctors with this exact sentiment! We trust our doctors to "DO RIGHT!!!" Perhaps I am cynical or perhaps I have just experienced enough doctors to know TRUST must be earned!!! Trust should not be given away and it especially should not be granted to just anyone with a medical degree. A medical degree does not equal cart blanche to trust. In fact, I would say at the end of the day, one's best doctor is one's self.
As I mentioned yesterday, I went to see my oncologist today. I took an MRI three weeks ago and never heard from her regarding the results. Now you could be saying, well what doctor calls you personally to tell you the results?! Well this one does, or was supposed to. That was our agreement. In fact, I left the doctor I had a Georgetown for this exact reason. He never reported the results to me and thought that was a fine practice. Of course there were other issues about him and his nurse that I just couldn't stand.
So today's doctor is from Washington Hospital Center. She is very aware of Mattie's cancer and his death. Which is why I have her email address and we tend to communicate between appointments that way. After I took the MRI, I emailed her so she had a heads up that a report was coming her way. But I never heard back from her. So instead of playing around with this, I decided to make an appointment and get some direct answers.
When I arrived today, I first interacted with her nurse. No surprise that the nurse and I immediately connected. She started by asking me how I liked the warm weather. When I told her I LOVED it, she literally hugged me. She said she does too and that we are in the minority. She had me laughing. While taking my blood pressure she asked me why I was visiting today. I told her I wanted my MRI results. She said.... "Good for you!" I told her I can't assume a NO CALL means that the results are okay! She related a story about herself and how she too tracked down her results only to find that something was caught on a scan. Something that her doctor did not call her about. So it does happen!!! You can't always TRUST that the medical profession is going to do the right thing. You must be your own advocate. Until I see a report for myself, I believe nothing.
I started out the conversation today with my doctor with..... "I'm here to see you about the MRI results. Since I did not hear from you, I don't want to assume that everything is fine!" She got my point and did give me my report which thankfully showed that my condition is stable. Before leaving her office she stated, "this should teach you not to look for trouble." What..... are you kidding me??! I couldn't let that comment go. I reminded her that my urologist was the one who prescribed the original scan back in February of 2012. The scan that captured not a bladder problem, but a different issue. I did not ask for this scan, it was recommended that I do this! So I wasn't looking for trouble, but once trouble was identified, don't I have an obligation to myself and my health to be vigilant about it?! Honestly!!! Then I told her outright that I have learned from Mattie's battle that being diligent, asking questions, and pursuing an issue is the only way to get down to the bottom of things. The fact that I have to explain this to a medical doctor, mind you a top rated one!!!!, is SO beyond me. Even if I were a hypochondriac, which I am not, the fact that I lost Mattie to cancer, should be a clue to this woman that medical issues are red flags to me. Especially when in February of 2012, the radiology report read that I most likely had a rare cancer!
I really don't make this stuff up! It happens, and it happens even with the best of medical doctors. That is the scary part. Getting sick is NOT for the meek, which is why an advocate is needed regardless of your age.
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