Bad communication vs. Good communication

Communication is a necessity in life - I mean, I guess you could live as a hermit your entire life but then again you would probably talk to yourself and therefore would technically be communicating.

Yesterday, communication went the way I was hoping.  I finally heard back from the assistant to the gastroenterologist that I have been trying to get into see.  Now, I have to wait a few weeks - but I will at least be getting another opinion on my treatment.  I just have to get my medical records sent over to him so he can review my case prior to seeing me.

Now today's communication presented a little bit more of a challenge.  This morning I received a phone call from a nurse at my current gastroenterologist - she was calling to schedule my surgical procedure.  I immediately stopped her and said, No I will not be scheduling this procedure.  I am not getting a j-tube done.  I also shared with her that I am going to be seeing another doctor in a few weeks for a second opinion.

This afternoon my phone rang again.  It was the nurse again.  She was calling to ask how I was feeling.  She then proceeded to inform me that my doctor had made the decision about the j-tube because he misunderstood what was discussed during my appointment and thought that I had one week left of TPN treatment before my insurance cut me off.  He was concerned without some type of tube feeding that I would very quickly end up in the hospital and he wanted to avoid that.  I explained to her that if that was truly his intention that I appreciate that, but that was in no way the way he came across during my visit.

So starting next week hopefully, once I talk to my dietitian, we will start tapering down my TPN - to possibly 5 times a week.  I am really looking forward to having some days where I don't have to hook up to that bag.  That's as long as my body doesn't crash on me.

In the meantime I will get my second opinion and will then have to make the decision - 1) Stay with the doctor who has been treating me for over a year and forgive him for having a bad day of communication or 2) Transition my care over to the new guy if I like him and hope that his communication skills are solid.