Shifting
So I get the heads up that one of my many team members of nurses in this myeloma thing is leaving my facility. Though I'm not in active treatment, I felt so gutted as I like her and the convenience of an issue I can text at a drop of a dime.
How do or have you handled new eyes and faces in your treatment journey? Have they been good experiences or have you had to put a guard up?
BTW- I've already prewarned that my guard will be up for the new team. It's about leveling that comfort level...sometimes again, and again 🙁
I don't really get attached to the people who are a part of my care. I guess I get attached to the facilities themselves. My Urgent Care facility has wonderful staff, but I never know who I'll be seeing. I've had three family doctor's so far. The oncology team deals best with BCR-Able results and that is just part of the picture though. The specialists I've seen have all been new to me when issues arise. I keep my guard down, but my notes impeccably straight. That's my strategy through it all. I totally get it! I've become connected to some of these people over time. The conversations haven't always been about myeloma, openness to treat me with care while not treating me like a number either. Yeah, my guard is always up when its someone new...usually I'm right by my Spidey antennae's unless they prove me wrong : )
I truly understand. My previous oncologist was as a wonderful doctor. He instilled the belief that I would be okay, and asked that I trust him. He listened and practically wiped my tears. It was the stem-cell transplant that he recommended gave me back my life and the thoughts of dying were gone, and the crying stopped. I’d love to mention his name, Dr. Usmani, Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC. He is now in NYC setting up a multi-myeloma research center at the prestigious Sloan-Kettering hospital. They are blessed to have him.
I'm so happy you have had a wonderful experience with your doctor. I think we all want that, but that's not usually the case for many...so we're blessed. Sometimes the bedside manner is better equipped with some than others, and when you get a right fit you hate to disturb the mix. Thank you for sharing!
I actually have 2 separate oncologist that I see. I still see the one I was originally diagnosed with, and the team of oncologist 's/ hematologist/SCT specialists at another facility. When I finally got to go home after my SCT, my original oncologist was brought into and added to my care team so when I am far enough out, my original oncologist can just carry on with my care since he will be completely caught up with all that's happened.
luck has it my original Oncologist and my Oncologist now with the SCT team have been friends for years. So now that I'm far enough out from my SCT, he's bringing in my original Oncologist into the team, so when I can safely be handed back, my original Oncologist is already up to date, and monitors me from there. If anything changes, I get handed back to my SCT team again. Well, that's good they're working hand in hand...sometimes that's rare to find my friend. Best!
Ah, the randos. I have a pretty set team that I see and trust including my CML specialist. However, the past year, I've been pawned off to a variety of health care people, some good, some bad and my health took a nosedive with things not getting done in a timely fashion. Luckily, I'm back with the key players and they know enough not to use randos on my case going forward. Hopefully, the next year will go more smoothly on that front. I will say I got attached at my facility to who I called the "blood ladies," the same three women who used to do my bloodwork and who I got to know and appreciate greatly. Now, I rarely get the same person when I go and I think the original crew have moved on to work elsewhere instead. Susan (Blood-Cancer.com Team Member)
