Earlier this afternoon I called my Oncologist to make sure everything was fine for my appointment tomorrow at 3:45pm to discuss this Clinical Trial (since no one called me to confirm). The temp filling in for the normal Admin read that I was confirmed for my CT Scans at 11:40am and my consultation with my Oncologist at 3:45pm.
Umm...excuse me? I did not schedule any CT Scans. She stated that on July 22nd my schedule was changed to having both the original meeting and these CT Scans in the morning. I politely informed her that there was no reason for me to have the CT Scans prior to my meeting with the doctor since I had yet to decide if I was, in fact, going to participate in this Trial. I told her to please find out what was going on and to call me back so that I knew what was happening tomorrow.
Hours go by. Did I receive a call back? Of course not. I call again.
Conveniently she's basically already forgotten what I told her the first time around so I re-explain. She tells me as per my doctor's notes in the system, she spoke with my mother and confirmed that I would be receiving CT Scans before my meeting with her tomorrow. There is no way on God's Green Earth that my mother would confirm any sort of tests, appointments, pin-pricks, etc. for me without checking with me first. I tell this woman (who is now beginning to get on my nerves due to her less then courteous demeanor) that my mother would never have agreed to such a thing so there must have been some sort of mix up. She then proceeds in her smug way, to tell me that "this is why we like to have the patients speak directly with the doctors so that there isn't any miscommunication." Bitch, you can fuck yourself. My doctor is the one that decided to call my mother after I had left a message for her to call me back. I didn't ask for her to call my mother - she chose to call her.
Anyway, I attempted to explain further to this nasty woman that it made absolutely no sense for me to receive CT Scans before meeting with my doctor because what if I decided not to participate? It would just be added and unnecessary radiation and stress for me. Maybe it's just me but I'm not exactly sure what's so difficult to understand here.
The temp wound up calling me back to tell me that they cancelled my morning CT Scans and would try to schedule them for after my appointment with my Oncologist...but that they didn't know if this was possible to arrange for the same day. I might have to come back. I said, I don't care, it's fine. I mean, what if I ask all my questions and then decide that I really don't want to go through with this? I guess I can understand what they're trying to do - they're trying to speed up the process since the deadline is so close. They don't even know if I qualify for the Trial until I get the CT's. The only way I won't qualify, however, is if something shows on the CT's - like another tumor somewhere. Well insanity might quickly set in should something come back on it after all the shit I just went through recently. So - they better come back fine.
I haven't even agreed to participate in this thing yet and already they're making it difficult for me. Nothing can ever be easy. I'm not exactly sure why I had to argue with this woman in order for her to get the point: I'm not getting any tests done until I agree to go along with this Trial. Really - is that so hard to grasp? Apparently.
Anyway, I'm back to my one original appointment at 3:45pm tomorrow with my Oncologist. I might just get so frustrated with how this is being run that I just say no to the whole thing. Who knows. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.
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