Hello All,
Tomorrow I have another Herceptin treatment (and, perhaps, only one more after that).
I started on Herceptin on April 2nd, 2009. Initially the treatment was every week. Then after I completed chemotherapy last summer, the treatments were switched to a three week dose, every 21 days. So, the treatment runs longer, but, I only go in every three weeks. The weekly doses were definitely easier to tolerate than the three week dose. But, now I am nearly done.
At UCLA Herceptin is given every 21 days, the three week dose. They start patients on it this way. The clinical trials were all done in weekly doses. No clinical trials were ever done with the every three week dose. But, UCLA did develop this drug, so I trust their recommendations. Still, I do sometimes wonder about that. Anyway, I was on the weekly treatment through July of 09 and then switched over to the “every three week” dose after surgery. My former oncologist (the idiot) took me off of Herceptin prior to and after surgery – against UCLA’s advice. I fought that battle and ultimately was not able to convince the idiot to keep me on the treatment during that time. UCLA tried to convince him too, but, he was too arrogant to listen.
So, I fired him – not an easy thing to do when your treatment is dependent upon having a facility willing to treat you and not having many options of places to go within your health plan. But, with a lot of work, it all got worked out. I am so glad that nonsense is over.
Tomorrow, my nurse Dawn, will present me with a chart of all of the treatments – there is an issue of how many I have had. I am told I have one more after tomorrow’s treatment. But, I do not trust the facility. I am not keen on being given a chart – created from my medical records. I instead want my actual medical records so that I can review these. But, there is a definite reluctance on the part of the facility to release these to me. I have asked for it, told them that my oncologist at UCLA wants these records. However, the response is to instead provide me with a newly created document that tallies up the treatments (how many one week doses and how many three week doses). This is not acceptable to me.
I am going to show up tomorrow and demand that I get copies of my medical records – I am not leaving without it. I get a bit woozy/out of it during the treatment, so I am going to have to demand it before I start the treatment and insist that I get it before the treatment. I know they are afraid of being sued over the mistakes that were made. It is so ridiculous. All I want is to make certain that I get the exact number of treatments that I am supposed to have – it is simple. And, besides, my oncologist at UCLA needs to have these records.
I can’t believe this stupidity.
Otherwise, things are good.
Wish me luck getting the records tomorrow.
Love and peace,
Lisa
cancerfree2b 
Hello Lisa,
So glad to see that you’re not letting your guard down. Keep pushing those who seem to want to push you around. With your persistence, along with your mom’s, you’ll be fine. I could never imagine what you’ve gone through and what’s still in the works, but you know that it is God given that you have enough strength and knowledge to overcome this obstacle in your life. I’m so glad that the employee at the juice bar gave you some insight and rejuvenated your thought process in your healing. That was God’s work and was just the thing you needed to start fresh! I wish you well and that the appointment goes smoothly along with the request of your records.
Much Love & Aloha-
David
Isn’t there a law regarding releasing a patient’s records to them or, at the very least, to another physician?
Hello Jennifer,
Yes, there are laws about it. The thing is that they will have to give me my medical records, but, they are delaying. I asked for the records verbally – naively thinking that they would simply comply with my request. There is already a release on file for them to send everything to my oncologist at UCLA. But, they have not done so. I only recently found out that they had not complied with the request to release all of my records to my oncologist. From talking with my oncologist’s nurse last week it became apparent that UCLA only has some of my records. So it is my opinion that they are getting selected portions of my medical records. I know this is all about not sharing with UCLA all of the mess ups – in particular – the one that nearly cost me my life.
It is quite frustrating. When it comes down to it, all they are doing is trying to cover their own you know what. And, in doing so, they are aggravating someone who would otherwise have no intention of suing.
It is so stupid. Anyway, I am going to get to the bottom of this. I just keep thinking that now I know where the term “doctoring” of records comes from. I don’t trust them at all.
I hope you are doing well. Let’s try to talk soon, okay?
Much love,
Lisa
Let me know if you need a ride. I’ve got a pretty good head of steam of righteous indignation built up over all this, and I’d love to help you get your records. Mwahaha…
Love,
Sandy
Sandy,
Thank you for your offer. I really appreciate it. Hopefully they will comply today. I know that they are going to give me some song and dance – that either the records are not available at the Irvine location . . . or that it takes a certain amount of time to process the medical records. Anyway, I am going to come prepared with my own release printed out and signed. Hopefully that will get things moving. But, I don’t hold out much hope that I will actually get possession of my medical records today. Still, I will try my best.
Thank you for your offer to help.
Much love,
Lisa
David,
Thank you for your message. Say some prayers for my Mom too, if you would. She is under the weather right now. She’s had allergies and just isn’t feeling well. I finally convinced her to go back to the doctor today to get something that would help her better. I told her that she wouldn’t let me get away with not going to the doctor – she laughed and agreed. So, hopefully she will feel better soon.
And, yes, the juice bar was meant to be that day. The guy behind the counter was like an advertisement for sunshine.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Much love to you,
Lisa