A Phone Call From The Emergency Department Doctor
[ Monday February 3rd 2025 at 7:05 pm ]
I thought about it more and decided I was going to wait until today to go to the emergency department of my local hospital since the hematologist would likely be working. In the past the emergency department has brought the orthopaedic doctor down to assess me. I kind of expected the same type of thing would happen.
Just as I was getting myself ready to leave for the hospital I had a phone call. It was the emergency department doctor I saw on January 1st 2025. He wanted to ensure there was follow up in place from the MRI with the possibility of bone marrow cancer. I briefly explained that my surgeon did a referral to my local hospital for a hematologist. The emergency department doctor stopped me from talking after I said this. The reason is that there is no hematologist at my local hospital. I need to go to the regional cancer center for this. The fact that I haven't had an appointment for this to happen leads the emergency department doctor from January 1st 2025 to believe I've slipped through the cracks. What should have happened is that my local hospital redirected the referral to the regional cancer clinic. There must not be much need for this since a hematologist isn't on staff at my local hospital.
I briefly explained that I was just about to head out to the hospital to ask for a white blood cell count test. This isn't the appropriate test. What I am needing is a blood smear to assess for cancer. The doctor asked if he could get personal with me. I said okay. He said his wife is dying from cancer and only has days left. Then he explained he was too pre-occupied and on a medical leave of absence to deal with this right now. He asked if I would get my surgeon to order this blood test if this is what it would take to get my orthopaedic treatment back on track if I don't have the cancer.
I just finished writing an e-mail to the medical secretary of my surgeon explaining this. I am giving the surgeon's office 2 days to get back to me. Then I will go to the emergency department of my local hospital for assistance. In theory the referral can just be re-sent to the cancer clinic at the hospital where I was seen. But it will require the surgeon to prepare a requisition for a blood smear test.