The Ring Around

Information sharing from one doctor to the next

Given my eventful start to the year things had been suspiciously quiet of late.

As far as I knew I was expecting a cardiac pacemaker and more bile duct interventions in the narrow time window available before urgently returning to chemotherapy. Once chemo starts it is best to avoid, as much as is practical, anything that can lead to infection, like undergoing surgical procedures, catching public transport, or eating raw chicken.

In an effort to turn these suspicions into concrete activities I left several messages over the last week with my various doctors, or more accurately their receptionists whose role is to shield the doctors from direct communication with bothersome patients.

On Wednesday the cardiologist rang back, apologetic that I hadn't already been informed by my oncologist that the pacemaker wasn't going ahead. Chemo was the priority and the heart issues weren't as critical. From my side doctor to patient communication didn't seem to be that critical either, like how come I wasn't told? When does chemo start?

On Thursday I was able to meet with the gastroenterologist. Small wins. Bilirubin¹ levels had not only dropped but were in the normal range, meaning the bile duct stents² are working well. Jaundice³ has gone, thus RFA⁴ is not required, and would only complicate infection risk anyway. In addition the campylobacter⁵ bacteria that contributed to my hospitalisation in February, whilst still detectable, was in a non-culturable state. Further consultation with an infectious diseases specialist may still be needed.

After some more calls I managed to see the oncologist too. My chemo starts next Wednesday, assuming no further delays from the residual gut infection.

This song about the mixed outcomes of telephony seems appropriate. I saw Adele live a few years ago. A great show. Not bad for someone who started out as a Dylan cover artist.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilirubin

2. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bile-duct-cancer/treatment/stents

3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/15367-adult-jaundice

4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8529920/

5. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/campylobacteriosis