The 2nd opinion

Or would you rather first hear about the---I'm not saying COVERUP--let's say--the "dancing around the dont-sue-me maypole" communique from Duke about the POTENTIALLY FATAL ERROR in Bill's severely dangerous infection?

Yes.

Let's do THAT first!

Fact: the results of the infection report were published on the Duke website on May 6, 2009.

Today is May 22.

Do the math, and then listen to this.

On May 20, I--me--lil ole me-discovered by HAPPENING to check the Duke records--that Bill had been found to have a HORRIBLY DANGEROUS infection (see these adjectives confirmed in a moment!).

Apparently, the medical geniuses at Duke FORGOT to check my husband's medical test results!

But they would never admit that. Oh no. They would rather rely on the dim hope that Beth and Bill have a combined IQ that equals the temperature of whole wheat toast, one hour after being forgotten in the toaster.

But shucks.

We ain't corncob brains. We both have DOCTORATES, and mine's in LAW! So....ooops on that Dukish gamble.

So get this!

When we saw the report by chance on May 20th, due to my curiosity, which report is so bad that the Center for Disease Control is all adither about such a dangerous infection being discovered at Duke--the date on the report was MAY 6TH!

Hold that date.

So on May 20, when I found this dangerous situation, I called Duke, and Dr. Wallbrain said he would MAIL us a prescription for one of the very few drugs that can fight this dangerous new mutated infection. Oh and it is HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS to family members!

Well, we said, no, but won't he please hurry,and simply FAX the prescription to our pharmacy so we can start sooner on the meds?

Well, guess what. Dr BladderFace apparently WILL NOT, dammit, be TOLD HOW TO PRACTICE MEDICINE, and he REFUSED TO FAX IT!

He said, "I will mail it. End of discussion. And it won't go out till tomorrow."

HUH???????????????????????????

AND BILL HAS A FEVER OF 100 AND IS BLEEDING FROM HIS INTESTINES AND THIS MAN WON'T FAX THE PRESCRIPTION????????????

So ready for the juicy part?

Today....TODAY...we FINALLY get the prescription in the slow, slow mail, with a letter from Dr. PrideComesBeforeTheFall, and it has FAKE INFORMATION in it. Why? To make him look NOT GUILTY?????

Here's the letter:

Dear Mr. William Drennan:

"We were pleased to see you recently at your last clinic visit. I have reviewed the results of your studies from that visit" [he leaves out: AFTER YOUR WIFE BUSTED US FOR FORGETTING TO READ THEM]...

"RECOMMENDATION: Please fill the enclosed prescription.. PLEASE NOTE! [HE bolded and underlined that phrase, like all of a sudden, it's soooo urgent] This is a...bad bug. It is sensitive to only a few oral agents. Therefore, an aggressive treatment strategy would be appropriate to eliminate it from your urinary tract." [Me: does "aggressive" mean waiting 2 weeks until the wife finds it and then REFUSING with utter arrogance to Fax the prescription but make us wait 4 days for you to mail the dang prescription, you bizarre freak of a human being?] "It is still possible that it is also in your GI tract, therefore, TAKE CARE WITH SCRUPULOUS HANDWASHING TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATING YOURSELF AND OTHERS."

OMG!

So for all these weeks, everyone in our house was AT RISK OF CATCHING THIS THING! Deprived of this information?

AND the nurses who came in and treated Bill were getting this dangerous bug all over them and then going around giving it to all the other patients they visit who are home bound?????????

GO, DUKE! THIS IS MEDICINE AT ITS VERY BEST! OH, my difficulty believing this is all happening.

*************Here's the Second Report news**** if you want to read this tomorrow, just come back.....this is awfully long....I realize!

SECOND OPINION

First, the oncologist thought the infection Duke ignored was a HUGE DEAL. So big, in fact, that he needs to go to a special INFECTION CONTROL EXPERT because of how dangerous this is!

Secondly, she did confirm that while everyone is different, a prognosis of three months might happen for some people, while others could live a longer time. Putting Bill into that spectrum. Wow. Not the cheeriest moment.

So, she noted that Dr. Duke Wallbanger is a surgeon, while Bill now needs a bladder specialist oncologist.

She also confirmed our fears that "clinical trials" might be all we can get. But that's better than Dr. Walleye, who said Bill wouldn't qualify for any clinical trial anywhere on earth.

Thanks, pal! Boost of confidence really appreciated!

Mood elevator, right there. Not.

So, we are going to be sent to Winston Salem, only 2 hours away, not 3 hours like Duke, to an Infection Control specialist AND to a bladder cancer oncology SPECIALIST.

We get a call on Monday with a date.

More tomorrow.

Pray, if you can. There's a lot more going on than I'm able to post here. Love and more love, and LIGHT.

B&B