The Never-Ending Frustration of Doctors

Well, I didn't get into this part of the story last night because I was tired but I figure I'll talk a bit about it today. Now this is not the first time that we've been led astray by a doctor. We seem to attract them. However, one of the things that struck us square on the day before John's surgery was that this was NOT the procedure we initially wanted. There were some well placed words that made us believe it was but in hindsight it should have dawned on us.

We should have questioned him more when he said John shouldn't return to work for a week. However, I didn't because at first explanation he said that he could return to work in 2-3 days. It was only after John said what he does for a living and asked about climbing ladders that he said a week. This cleverly disguised the fact this was not the procedure we originally went searching for.

The second clue should have been when he described the particular mesh plug that he was going to use. In nothing did I read about the "shuttle cock" description it was always a spool type mesh. The difference being the "shuttle cock" gets sutured to the muscle, the spool has no sutures. Why this didn't pop up as a striking red flag at the time, I may never know.

Anyway, I guess you can't change what is done but the final blow that indeed we did not have the right procedure was when the doctor told him he was not to drive until after he came in for his follow-up in a week. Now this raises a curious question... why would he be able to return to work in 2-3 days if he can't drive for a week. I'd love to give the doctor the benefit of the doubt that because they found out when they got in there that it was larger than they originally believed and had been there longer than was believed that he was erring on the side of extra caution in telling us he can't drive for a week. However, I think we have been misled by enough doctors over the past few years that I don't know that I can believe that in any way, shape, or form. He'd have to do some darn good explanations to convince me this is what happened.

Anyway, even though it ended up not being what we originally intended, the recovery time is acceptable and the recurrence rate is in an acceptable range. While it's going to be a few days longer than we wanted and he's going to have a few more rough days than we wished, it will be a success in the end and a lot better than what the doctor locally had told us about the laproscopy procedure he does. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised considering he didn't pick up on the fact that it was indeed the hernia causing the swelling not swollen glands.

That, folks, is a rant for another day! Oh how I love doctors!!! *cough*