After being weighed-in at 171-pounds, a nurse led Barb and I down the hall to an examination room. The nurse took my temperature, blood pressure and pulse, and told me that the director of the cancer center would be in to see me shortly.
I was expecting to discuss the possibilities of working with a new oncologist in the group with the director. I wanted to do it gracefully and politely, no hard feelings. I just thought that it might be a good time for a fresh perspective.
After introductions and exchanging greetings, the doctor (director) put his hand on my file, which is thicker than most dictionaries, and told us that he had reviewed my history from cover to cover yesterday. That impressed me. My oncologist often times had trouble reading a one-page report of a CT scan.
He told me that I looked a whole lot better than he expected, after reading about everything that I've been through.
He then asked me what he could do for me.
I told him as gracefully as I possibly could that I felt that my current oncologist just wasn't cutting it anymore. I told him about some of the events that occurred that left me feeling this way.
"I am so sorry," he said. "I'd be glad to be your doctor."
"WHAT?!?!?" I said to myself. You'll be my doctor?
Well this was definitely more than I expected. This was the big kahuna, the big boss man, the big cheese.
From there we got down to business. What a remarkable difference he was over my now previous oncologist.
We talked about everything: how I've gotten to this point; all the possibilities for future treatments; how to best use other specialists like the kidney cancer doc in Philly. We covered everything.
He also talked to both Barb and I about mental and emotional stability.
He even gave me a physical exam, which I can't remember a doctor actually doing in I don't know how long.
This oncologist does not meet with patients as often. But he does meet with patients for an hour. My now former oncologist met with patients for 15-minutes. It was much like an assembly line. I think that may have been a big part of the problem.
So, Barb and I were both thrilled with the outcome of yesterday's meeting. We entered the day with some trepidation, not quite knowing how everything might turn out.
In the chemo room I did run into my former oncologist. I gave him a nice wave and a little smile. It's nothing personal. He's a good guy and he's going through his own issues and health problems, and I wish him well. But it's time to move-on, and I think we've turned on to a really good road.
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