Linking up with Being Fibro Mom‘s Chronic Friday Linkup
If you have been a regular reader you will know that I’ve been experiencing nausea and a low grade fever since last September with no doctor being able to tell me what’s going on.
I was finally able to see my Rheumatologist. When I explained my symptoms to him he said, “I’m curious to know why you would choose to see a Rheumatologist for these symptoms.” I was a bit shocked but I told him I always think of Lupus when running a low grade fever but he said that was not one of the prominent symptoms.
He said that when patients experience Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) the first step is to see an Infectious Disease specialist and if nothing turns up, a Hematologist/Oncologist. He told me he was going to run a lot of blood tests and they took ten vials of blood plus a urine specimen. I may have gone to the “wrong” doctor but he was the first one to give me some direction.
It was the first time that certain tests came back as out of range and instead of being happy about it like I thought I would because I’m desperate for a diagnosis and treatment, the feedback from the doctor was that I should make an appointment with a Hematologist/Oncologist, which to me is about the scariest doctor to see.
I think of my therapist telling me that my nausea was probably due to depression and I am angry that she made me think for one second that this was in my head. Every time a doctor doesn’t know what’s wrong with you, they want to go right for a psychological diagnosis.
I picked my Hematologist/Oncologist out of the many from Cleveland Clinic. I read her patient reviews and one of them said that the doctor actually hugged her. I wanted a doctor that hugged people so that was a big selling point for me.
When I called to make an appointment the hold music and information said, “Welcome to the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center.” There was even an advertisement for wigs that they sold at the clinic. It was one of the scariest things I have ever heard.
When I got through, the scheduler asked if they had access to my test results through the clinic’s system. She told me a nurse was going to study my results and they would get back to me.
In about a half an hour I got a call back to make my appointment which is in mid July. I felt like they had been looking to see if I was sick enough to be seen.
I am trying not to freak out but I can’t help it. I am doing better today. I know I can’t be a mess until I see the doctor, I’ve got to get it together for my son’s sake.
Next week I already had an appointment scheduled with my primary care physician with blood work ordered so perhaps she will be able to shed some light on my results. Normally I research my lab results, and I did to a point but what’s the use of making myself more upset than I already am? It doesn’t have to be cancer, it could be a blood disorder.
Your prayers and good thoughts are appreciated.
Not my real test results.
