Well it looks like the peritoneal dialysis may be back on and I’ll be getting the new cathetar installed this coming Wednesday by a doctor I’d not met until last Thursday rather than the doc who put my current neck line and the emergency femoral line in last November.
Thursday this new (to me) renal doctor, who apparently was familiar with me from meetings, stopped by and said that he was fitting the peritoneal dialysis (PD) line next Wednesday. I mentioned last Friday’s appt (not sure whether he was aware of it or not) and he said that it was better to get it done now regardless because if we wait until after the chemo who knows how long we will have to wait. I could totally understand this but nearly mentioned that my neutrophils were 0.9 and would it be okay but then thought ‘He must have checked that out.’
I was unsure as to whether he intended to contact Prof or not but I wasn’t sure he was. I called in to see the PD nurse before I left but he wasn’t there so I left a message with a colleague as he’d said he intended to contact Prof regarding Friday’s appointment.
Although I want to go ahead with the PD I didn’t feel I was able to just get it fitted without seeking advice/approval from the blood team. I mean it would have looked really good if I turned up at the clinic appointment on Friday with a new line fitted that I’d been told two weeks before wasn’t a good idea. B was thinking more about the potential risk of infection finishing me off but I was more concerned about how it would have looked to the Prof if I just blindly accepted this advice from a stranger really, over what he’d told me – ‘Well, I’ve trusted your team with my life for over twelve months but thought what the hell I’ll just go with this recommendation instead.’
Later in the afternoon I emailed the myeloma nurse and he in turned forwarded to the two myeloma docs. Prof responded before five thirty, sending a copy to the renal doc asking that they discuss the matter. I had Prof’s decision by nine thirty Friday morning.
If my neutrophil count is not below 0.5 when measured on Tuesday I can have a PD catheter put in on Wednesday. This catheter will not be used but will be left for two weeks for it to settle and once it is. The two week settling period will also let me get used to looking after the catheter.
So I thought I could forget about having the PD cathetar put in until after 26 March when the original renal doctor gets back from his trip which was good really as that’s my birthday but then again I haven’t got as long to fret about it. As I was typing about it just I got my knickers in a bit of a knot.
Now I did mention that I hadn’t met the renal doctor fitting the line before but am over familar with the blood team so much so that the new renal doctor is now in receipt of a copy of my email which ended with these exact words…
‘How shall I put this… WTF!?!?!?!’
Feresaknit's Blog 
It would be nice to think that all these different depts. coordinated with each other without being prompted, but I think you were right to double check. Hope your neutrowhatsits behave suitably so that you can get the catheter fitted this week – one less thing to worry about.
I agree with Fiona. One would think that with computers, ipads, ieverythings, communicating records to all who needed to know would be automatic. Hope this is quickly sorted out, P.
You were so wise to do a double-check to make sure everyone was on the same page. I don’t have any experience with UK medical teams, but Vern’s docs here in the US did not communicate well at all. Many, many times I diverted a potential disaster by simply asking a question or forcing a discussion. The only times I found that worked the way it should was when he was in the hospital for an extended period of time. A hospitalist was then placed in charge and they talked to each doc – oncologist, renal, infectious disease, pulmonary, cardiologist, vascular surgeon – and shared details with us.
It’s the right thing to do. Doctors do slip up and they can miss a number. But for us, a slip up is a personal disaster.