Warren's latest NS appointment

[figmo]

Warren got turned down for surgery again yesterday.

This time the surgeon was really flip with him and stormed out on us like a five-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. The surgeon gave us all this hooey about how he "didn't see any hemmorrhaging" in the MRI (you can't see hemmorrhaging on an MRI unless it's severe) and told Warren "there's no pressure on [his] brain."

We tried asking questions, and that's when the guy exclaimed, "I don't have to give you a reason!" and started storming out. He didn't just walk out; his tone of voice sounded like a kid who insisted on having his own way. I asked what he did recommend as treatment given that the neurologist said he can't be treated with drugs. "I don't know, and I don't care."

I tried pointing out that Warren can't work. "Well that's not my problem!" he exclaimed.

"Then would you support a disability claim?"

"Absolutely not!"

Warren then tried to change the subject by asking him what a programmable shunt was. "It's a shunt where you can change the amount of fluid drained off, but that's irrelevant, because I'm not going to put a foreign tube in your head that drains fluid down to your stomach!"

Then he rushed out; all Warren could get in was "Bye, Doc!" behind him.

Warren wanted to know the dimensions of the cyst according to the new MRIs, but this guy wasn't even looking at the film.

Something is very fishy. We overheard him and another NS talking before the appointment (the NS was 15 minutes late), saying, "Something's wrong here." We couldn't hear further, but we had the feeling someone is ordering these guys to not operate. When the word "conspiracy" keeps coming up, and it's the doctors who keep using it (as in "There' s no conspiracy against you"), it makes you wonder.

Comments

d***

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

Very very nasty of the physician. Two questions:

1. Is Warren willing to go through his HMO's grievance policy? California law on HMO client rights (http://www.opa.ca.gov/tips.asp) says that HMOs must have a grievance procedure.
   
2. Has Warren signed a power-of-attorney for health care purposes, either giving you power of attorney or someone else (hopefully an immediate family member)? A person who has power of attorney for health care purposes might be able to consult with an attorney about when and how it might be possible to use it, given that the issue is neurological.
   

Warren's right not to go after this particular sphincter-masquerading-as-a-surgeon, if for no other reason than it's not worth the time and energy right now. Getting treatment's more important.

Re: d***

[figmo.livejournal.com]

When the topic came up a couple of years ago, Warren didn't feel comfortable giving me "power of attorney" because a) I'm not family and b) I'm not Catholic. OTOH, he felt uncomfortable giving his folks "power of attorney" too, preferring to give it to his best friend (who is Catholic).

I wish he would give me PoA. I'm the one person who has nothing to gain by him croaking. OTOH, his major concern was being rendered a "human vegetable," and our viewpoints on euthanasia differ (he'd want to die so he could "go to heaven," I wouldn't because I don't believe in an afterlife).