Trust in your doctor- and Chris

[Guest guest]

I have read the posts and cannot see any problem or what you are

taking umbrage with. No one (including Tracey)attacked

anyone personally and differences of opinions are just that,

different opinions.

We are all dealing with a life ending disease, so the stakes for

being correct are the highest one can have in the human, non-

spiritual realm. There is no doubt in my mind that this group has

saved lives through the dissemination of information and personal

experiences with good and bad docs.

When your life is on the line, it is wise to get a second opinion and

question the experience of any doctor, especially if the disease is

obscure such as CML.

Here is a true example that may help.

When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer(far from an obscure form of

cancer), I talked to Dr Druker, my doctor. He conferenced with his

urology docs at OHSU and gave me THEIR opinion, not his, as he was

not as well versed in urology. Further, he referred me to a friend

and colleague of his, Dr Trump, at Roswell Park Cancer Center

in Buffalo. Dr Trump is head of research in the Urology Department

and he brought in his head of Urology, Dr Mohler, who is also head of

surgery. All of these men are great men and they all wanted to work

together to arrive at the best solution for me. As it turns out,

the best for me is a robotic laproscopic radical prostetectomy, with

pieces of my prostate being used at both OHSU for research (by Dr

Druker)and Roswell by both Dr. Trump and the leukemia department.

The above long-winded exegesis is an attempt to show that doctors,

even research specialits, who are the best in the world, do not know

everything about all things and that great doctors seek other great

doctors for second opinions and help with problems all the time, as

they should.

Finally, I fired my first oncologist right on the spot, as she was a

complete boob, knowing nothing about Gleevec, knowing nothing of

sedation for BMBs (not feeling it necessary- of course, she never had

one- I asked!) and being a tranplant flag waver. My second doc,

, is the complete opposite. Knew about Gleevec and

went to bat for me with the insurance companies, as it was not

approved for first line treatment when I started it. Also had a BMB

done on himself in medical school to see what he would be putting his

patients through. Also is delighted that I see Dr. Druker and is

happy to get all of his input, as it makes him a better doctor. I

remember when s Hopkins was poo pooing Gleevec and insisting on

transplants as the only way to go. If a great institution like that

is slow on the uptake in a numereically small disease such as CML, it

logically follows that there are going to be doctors who are the same.

In closing, PT Barnum said it best: Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer

beware.

Fred

[Guest guest]

To post,

Im tired of tit for tat. Ive not outright attacked anyone, just added

to someone elses post/comment. And because I seemed to be agreeing

with someone, it meant that I was disagreeing with someone else but in

my eyes I just had a different outlook. Im sorry for any confusion or

offence.

Susie Leech

Dx Nov 2002