Panic in Mass..

“Since I was diagnosed with parathyroid cancer four years ago, I've had to have blood tests every six months to watch for its return. Right now the status of this kind of cancer is that your first shot is the best, if it spreads - it will almost certainly take you down. Chemo and radiation don't seem to help. I had my blood test 9 days ago. I'd been worrying a little why I hadn't heard back yet.

This morning, I was on my way to the hardware store - I'm refurbishing some furniture today and I called my wife on the cell. Well, while I was talking to her my docs assistant called and left a message. So I listened to the message on my way to ther store... she said "call #### and say you want to talk tofme, not my voice machine" - now my doc has left good news on the answering machine before so I started worrying. The call back # wasn't the one my phone listed for the origin of the call, so I figured I should wait till I got back home (I didn't retain the # in my mind, didn't have a pencil and I knew I was prolly too anxious to get it right). So I shopped with growing anxiety. Here I am getting ready for a big celebration of survival, joy over building things, like homes and marriages and I will be doing so with a death sentence over my head. Yikes! I start thinking of all the things I want to do, trails I want to walk - and about how I would spend my time if the news was bad. When I get home, I do get the number wrong. Next call, they give me the voice machine and I need to call back again. Anxiety mounts... I am put on hold. Finally she comes on - "everything is normal, Dr. Bernstein says to have everything re-checked in 6 months." The only thing worse than hearing I have to go through this again in six months, is the alternative. And that's the way it's been for four years and, God willing, for many more.
last edited: 5/05/05 9:58:03 AM”

“Thank God. Many trails left to hike, and God willing plenty of time to hike'em.”

“glad it turned out ok but why didn't they leave the good news on your phone like before. All that did was having you to expect the worse. I hate it when they do that.”

“Congrats. I can't imagine the kind of anxiety that caused. Happy Trails.”

“Whew! Glad everything turned out okay.

Maybe you should explain to your healthcare professionals that while delivering life-or-death news is an everyday thing for them, getting it is not an everyday thing for you, and in the future, good news can be left on the answering machine.”

“Congrats PedXing! I was in a panic reading this. I thought you were going to give us bad news. I know the waiting is hard, but like you said its better than the alternative. Don't let yourself get down about it. There are many proven cases of mind over matter. Have a positive outlook and things will be positive. Look at Lance Armstrong. As for doing the things you dream of, like the trails you want to hike...do them. Don't let that be something you think about only if you're dieing. We would all be happier people if we took a little more time for ourselves. I've always considered myself somewhat of a selfish person because I always look out for number 1 first. I love my family, friends, etc., but you can't make anyone happy, if you're not happy yourself. I hope that you continue to get good news...in the meantime enjoy life. Peace”

“Glad everything checked out ok.”

““glad it turned out ok but why didn't they leave the good news on your phone like before. All that did was having you to expect the worse. I hate it when they do that.”
Ewker
11:02:48 AM
5/05/05

They may not be able to leave a message anymore. I know there have been quite a few new laws in the past few years that regulate what kind of patent information can be given out and to whom.”

“Good point zac, HIPPA has changed lots of things.”

“Yah, that might be it. Still sucks though.”

“Glad your news was clean Ped.


My step-mom-in-law (my wife's step mother),
has chronic breast cancer. she gets tested every six months (feb/aug) and it seems like every August something crops up.

reoccurence in the breast, spot on the brain, spots onthe lungs .. ..the latest may be "shadows" in her bones.


I had not realized until this invovlement, that once breast cncer gets ahold of you and advances . ..that its cells spread around and pop up in odd places. So its still breast cancer cells . .. .

She has been dealing with this for 8 years.”

“I am very glad to hear of your good news, I was getting on the edge of my seat as I read this.

My Best wishes go out to you. Hopefully all goes well.”

“Great news”

“Ped, and chance of changing your trailname to "Lucky"?”

“Hey Phaed, that's an old joke!

And thanks everyone else. I'm trying to be like that righteous man in Proverbs, who gets up aevery time he falls and is not undone by adversity.

My heart is still racing and it isn't the coffee.”

“And it IS as a result of HIPPA that they cannot leave a message. They have no control over who may listen to your home voice mail, so they are not allowed to leave any private information about you or your condition where someone else (maid, cleaning lady, the neighbors nosy kid waiting for your kid to get out of the bathroom etc) may hear it. I know it makes life more difficult and in this case more stressful, but they just don't want all your private medical info where others can get at it. The nurse asked that you ask for her rather than voicemail so you would get the good news ASAP and not go through telephone call ping pong for hours or days before you founc out.

Sorry for the anxiety, happt for the good news. Keep hiking.”

“Geez, I paniced for a minute and I'm not even you! Glad for the good news Ped. Party extra hard. =)”

“I'm sure HIPAA is the reason for the different procedure. Anxiety can make idiots of us all (especially me), and after having had bad news in the past - my old denial doesn't work anymore.”

“Whew, no kidding! This weekend, I sent my son off with some of the other leaders for a hike, and when they didn't get back when I expected them I about worried myself into a heart attack.

Being anxiety-prone makes it way worse.”

“Good outcome, Ped! You had me going there for moment. I want to see you HAPPY on Saturday!”

“Man you really know how to bring out the drama, don't you? Well anyway, glad to hear that you're alright. I won't be able to make it this Saturday, but I hope to see you on the trail up in New England sometime this summer or fall...”

“Well, the likely reason they didnt leave the good news is that hospitals are really cracking down on the patient privacy laws. they are not allowed to leave personnal healthcare info on an answering machine now due to the fact that it could be anyone listening to the machine or they could lose their job. Seriously. It is a huge deal in this hospital and in all hospitals right now.”

“dang PedX, that woulda sent me into a panic as well! I might have even yelled a little bit at the asst, but she's probably been instructed not to leave any news, good or bad on machines.

Really glad to hear your ok and doing well. Have fun at the big bash this weekend, if i still lived east of the mississippi, I'd have been planning to be there too.”

“One of my doctor's office is in a professional building. I met him in the hallway and said "hi" and he said "hi." When I saw him later, and we talked about HIPPA, he said he wasn't even supposed to acknowledge me in the hallway! Talk about restrictions!”

“What a trial to get to the good news part. I'm happy that it ended up that way, Ped. I am sure that you live your life accordingly as you probably appreciate life more than most of us.”

“My step father is in recovery from gastro-esophogeal cancer. They cought it early. It's a ferocious cancer, normally fatal, but his is absent so far after the chemo, radiation, and surgery. He is still a shell of the man he once was. He has lost over 100 lbs and is constantly tired and irritated. He used to scuba dive all over the world, now he is stricken to his home. At least he is alive. Cancer sucks.”

“HIPPA is a joke. My wife's doctor's office said she didn't complete her forms and were sending them for her to finish. they sent us someone elses forms.”

“Ped, what great news! You must have a will of iron to go through all that you have,impressive. I hope that you get the same news in the next 6 months, and the next....”

“Great news, though it sounds like you went through heck to get it. See you tomorrow.”

“Glad to hear that you are doing so well and received a good report. I go through that every few months as well. There's always a feeling of relief after having good news like that and I feel like I just bought a few more months. I've never had any health news on an answering machine and always heard good or bad news in real time. Only one time hearing bad news talking to a doctor on the phone, but the other times face to face. Some doctors I've had tended to minimize bad news. Doctors I've had in teaching hospitals tended to be more upfront than local doctors. Anymore, I just tell myself what is to be, is to be, good or bad, otherwise I'd drive myself crazy.”