Conversations with Medical Specialists . . .

               Physician Peer Pressure

                             Doctor's  in a bind . . . 

Following my last post . . .

Herewith are the first two conversation -- second-hand, but true.

The first in a Los Angeles hospital -- the pediatric oncologist had just told the mother that her 8 year old daughter had advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia ("A.L.L.").  Placing three one-sided sheets, print side down on his desk the following exchange took place.

Oncologist:    Your daughter has to start chemo' immediately -- choose one of these . . . 

Mother:           I do not know why I have to chose or which is which . . .

Oncologist:     All chemo' has toxic side effects. It is always a gamble. I do not want to make the choice.

Mother:           OK, I will make the choice after I have done some due diligence.

Picking up the three sheets, she folded them, put them in her bag and walked out

Sandsie's comment: 

A good and caring physician -- but his hands tied by the rules and regulations of  Californian Civil Codes and the medical protocols as approved by that hospital. The upshot was the family took the child to Texas to another Oncology Center.  Eight years later, the lass shows no sign of  A.L.L. but the continuous use of steroids has resulted in Cushing's Disease -- the classic buffalo hump on her back and an extreme growth of hair (hirsute) -- not much fun in teenage years. But better than the extreme alternative

Next in a California hospital (not identified because of the major changes in attitude) . . . the father has just been told that his son has A.L.L. and that chemo' and radiation were needed urgently.

Father:           In that case, I will take him to Texas. I hear  that they do well there with this form of leukemia.

Oncologist:    I forbid you removing this child from this hospital. Trust me, before you could get across the parking lot to your car, I would have a Judge's order making your son a ward of the State of California, and before you could unlock your car, the Sheriff would block you and Child Protective Services would bring your son back inside. In fact, your son would no longer be yours until he was 18 years of age.

Sandsie's comment. 

A good and caring physician -- now a friend of mine. "Sandsie, I defied the largest egos in this hospital to send him to you for hyperbarics. My heart was in my mouth the whole time. Now  I have evidence that HBOT assists these children, as a Professor of Oncology, I have the right to Rx. any child and I will use it."

Now, the  first-hand conversations with me:

On another occasion my new oncologist friend told me 

   "I lost 14 of my little patients last year.  Each time I failed them and their parents, I think that I grieved as much as if it was one of my own two children with the added component of guilt." And,

   "Oncologist's hands are so tied. Medical Boards, Hospital Internal Review Boards, California Codes. My greatest wish would be to be able to afford my own practice, my own equipment and I certainly would have my own hyperbaric oxygen chambers. But it is all so expensive . . ."

All of you that are reading this have the ability to make a change for these children. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is now in the realm of "we know that it will not harm, it just might help, so let us try it."

Now, the really good news for parents, patients and physicians . . . 

Medicine and its rivals

                                      The believers

Alternative therapies are increasingly mainstream. 

http://www.economist.com/node/21552554

The best value weekly magazine that I know, both in cost and quality. Take the time to read this . . .  changes are coming.