Waiting...that's what we do!

Hello. I apologize for the lack of blog entries lately. I am trying to keep publishing posts, but my health is challenging me. I have been having significant chest pain and shortness of breath since February. I do not enjoy going to the doctor, but my symptoms were burdensome. I attempted to get an appointment with a doctor. I found out one of my "old" doctors was again practicing medicine, but she had changed medical facilities. I thought, how wonderful! I can call and get an appointment to see her. Whoa! Not so easy. I was informed, in order to see my old doctor, I had to schedule an appointment with Doctor D. If Doctor D thought my case was appropriate, she would refer me on to my old doctor. Ok, let's go see Dr. D! Not so fast! Dr. D requires the patient to be referred by a primary care physician. Upon reviewing the medical chart and referral, Dr. D will decide if she will see you as a patient. Well, I guess if that is what I have to do, let's do it! When can I get an appointment to see Dr. D? After being referred and the doctor decides to accept you as a patient, it takes 9-10 months to get an appointment. Ok, stop the program. This is nonsense!!! I do not want to wait a year to see a doctor who "might" refer me on to my old doctor. Why is it so hard to see my doctor!?

My experiences with doctors has been comical. Every time I get a doctor able to treat me, he/she leaves the medical facility. A couple doctors did everything he/she could and then referred me on to other specialists. Two doctors moved across the country to practice at another major medical facility. One doctor quit seeing patients to teach medicine at a medical school. Another stopped seeing patients to pursue research endeavors. Many times, I am often told to go back to my primary care physician. She often laughs because my primary care physician feels very under-qualified to treat me. She has often quipped, "The whole reason I referred you to this specialist is for the fact that I have no idea how to provide medical treatment to you. How am I more equipped now to treat you than I was before referring you?"

Now, my symptoms have come to a tipping point. Fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath are consuming my life. If it difficult to lie flat because I feel like I constantly have to cough. If I am not lying flat, if I do too much movement, I start gasping for breath. This often leads to coughing fits. Now, I have again sought to find a medical doctor. I found a specialist who recently moved to my area in March. He is accepting new patients. I recently changed health insurance companies. Once my insurance gets all settled, I will be on my way to hopefully getting a referral to see this new doctor. Until then, I keep on waiting...it's what the chronically ill do!