OOPS!!!

I had a recent medical experience which in a way sums up the frustrations of health care, or maybe just a simple misreading causing a screw-up.

I have had a swelling above my left ankle for some time. I first noticed it in England a couple of summers ago, then it disappeared, but came back last summer. It is not painful, but I wondered what the cause is. My doctor had me do an ultrasound to make sure there was no blood clot---and there was not. Then I had a cat scan which showed a possible inguinal lymph node swelling in my groin. He also sent me to a vein specialist who did another ultrasound and told me to wear support hose for a month and then come back to see him.

In the meantime, a couple of weeks ago, I get a call from my regular doctor's nurse (he is taking a few days off at Christmas), instructing me to go see a surgeon in nearby Fort Myers with whom an appoitment for me had been made. No explanation, just go to this surgeon and a specific appointment date and time. So, i'm wondering what the hell is going on and beginning to imagine unpleasant possibilities. I go to see this surgeon, an ebullient and gregarious Tunisian-born man, who charms me with conversation and then checks my groin. I don't feel any pain, but he tells me I need a hernia operation. I tell him I don't feel any discomfort, but he suggests I make a date after the holidays. In fact, they called me right after Christmas to see if I'm ready to schedule. By this time I'm beginning to feel as if I am dealing with a persistent used car salesman who is trying to sell me an operation and I say I'm not ready.

Before I commit to any surgery and with this feeling I am being rushed, I call my regular doctor and make an appointment,now that he is back to work. I tell him about my date with the surgeon, and he looks totally puzzled. "I never recommended you see him," he says. He looks at my file and then looks up, chagrined. "Oh. my God," he exclaims, "I think the nurse misread the file and sent you to the wrong doctor, She must have misread your file where it says you have a hiatal hernia (a condition I have had for years for which I regularly take Prilosic or the like) and sent you to a hernia surgeon. My doctor checked me over and agreed that, if I had a hernia, it's an insignificant one. He suggested I see the vein guy who could probably deal with this swelling problem.

I had my date with the vein doctor yesterday, who told me my ultrasound showed some vein seepage or leaking in my left leg which would cause this swelling and affect the lymph node in my groin. He recommended I continue to wear support hose for two months, then see him and he will perform minor surgery to seal off this leak. This guy, I believe! wearing the support hose has helped the swelling, I might add.

Ah, the glories of medicine! A misreading by a nurse, a hungry surgeon. Thank God for Medicare! but what a waste of time and expense...