General Bloody Doctors...

[Sighs]

Leaving aside his PTSD my vet's back is a mess. He was a paratrooper. When you massage his back there are bits of gristle that move, loud clunking noises and alarming movements of the veterbrae. A couple of days ago he was trimming a horse's hoof when he felt something pop.

It took me days to persuade him to go to the doctor. I made him a long appointment so that the doctor could deal with a few things. I sent him with a written list. He came back with only one thing - a pretty mild pain killer. He said the doctor had a trainee with him and spent most of his time talking to the trainee. He refused to order imaging even though my vet specifically asked for it because he said its often worse to know what's wrong as that makes you feel bad about things. (WTF? This isn't a bloody compo case - he's already on a TPI DVA pension!) Then he said he would write a referral to the physio but didn't. (You don't normally need a GP referral but to get DVA to pay for the physio you do.)

I really really want to call the doctor and ask him if he has any idea what its like to have the nerves in your back impinged? Or what its like to live with "a bear with a sore head"?

 

[Friday]

I hate to say this... But coming from a medical family do call... And lie like a rug.

- Your husband is an ex paratrooper on full disability (truth... Reminder not a compo case)

- He was supposed to ask for imaging, but likes to suck it up (truth)

- What kinds of imaging does the doctor in his experience think would be best for looking at how complex new injuries on top of old neuro-musculoskeletal injuries can look? (Truth, and ego stroking, and laying the bait)

- If you make sure he gets to the imaging appointment can the lovely doctor go ahead and make that happen? (Make that happen is key wording. Esp if you get later dates, cause then it steps on his ego, and you have an in with his nurse/scheduler to pull a few strings.) You're concerned that pre existing nerve damage from falling out of airplanes and hitting the ground at high speed (thunk, crash...do add sound effects, don't know why... Every doc I know has kinda loved them) might be covering up an acute injury. (Truth)

Why... When I'm giving you 4 truths am I saying lie? Cause it's by tone and omission. Be super sweet, and toss in tech words so he suspects medical background casually whilst on the phone... & Call him a f*cking c*nt after you hang up the phone with necessary appointments. ;)

 

[Sighs]

Just need to convince my vet that he really does need the imaging and get his permission to contact the useless doctor...

I agree that flattery will get me everywhere and they always suspect a medical background when I talk to 'the profession" because I spent about a decade as a medical malpractice lawyer pulling their collective arse out of lawsuits. Which is sometimes an effective piece of information to share if flattery is not getting me what I want! ;)

 

[Sweetpea76]

:cry: Yuck, good luck to your vet with the back-injury treatment hell. You're right to push for the imaging. My vet's back injury is the one he is the most stubborn about and the least likely to seek medical attention for. Hopefully they get on the ball and better the surgery options that exist now.

 

[KwanYingirl]

As an x-ray tech with lots of experience, routine 3vuew standard imaging of the spine is worse than useless. Lobby for an MRI, that is if he can handle the magnet. Does he have metal in him? They are expensive but with his history it sounds like a mess in there and an MRI will show soft tissues as well as bones. Good luck.

 

[Sighs]

I've called them. Got the referral faxed direct to physio - now just waiting on an appointment. Insisted on plain film x-rays and MRI. Waiting on doctor to pull his head out of his arse and write them.

 

[Sighs]

okay... after umpteen phone calls back and forth I now have:

a) consent from my vet for the doctor to talk to me about his medical condition;
b) a physio appt at 3pm today;
c) a referral for plain film x-ray +/- CT of his lumbar spine and thoracic spine
d) after that imaging has been done the promise of a referral to a surgeon who can then order an MRI.

(Apparently even on a DVA gold card GPs can't order you a government funded MRI but specialists can.)

 

[Sweetpea76]

Excellent!

 

[still_i_rise]

Fabulous!! Your vet is fortunate to have you advocating for him.