I called my OB nurse today with several questions. Most were sort of procedural, such as how to get a referral to a physical therapist and asking about the progress in faxing my medical records. I also needed an update on my labs. TMI Update - there's protein in my urine, of course, so I need to do a 24 hour urine test. It can mean absolutely nothing, can be the first sign of a kidney infection or gestational diabetes, or a precursor to preclampsia. :(
The last question I threw in just because I was calling anyway. What are the odds of Trisomy 18 that I tested for during my Quad Screen? I have researched it, and the odds for a 35 year old to have Down's are all over the 'net, but no odds are listed anywhere for a 35 year old having Trisomy 18.
The answer? The maternal-fetal specialist will discuss this with me, and they'd rather not discuss it over the phone.
Okay, I can live with that. EXCEPT...the nurse was quick to say to see a maternal fetal specialist right away, "in case" I decide "to terminate." If you can casually discuss termination over the phone, you can give an educated person specific information they ask for regarding odds. It really made me mad, because they were so casual about the word "terminate," but unwilling to answer the follow-up questions that are most natural to ask after hearing that termination could even be an issue. Seriously, if you want to talk about information OUT OF FREAKIN' CONTEXT...sigh...termination was MUCH WORSE to say than any odds, even if they are 50%.
Should I complain? Or am I just oversensitive about this? I feel like I should get information when I ask. I should not have to wait to see a specialist, especially if I'm going to get partial and incomplete information over the phone anyway.
Etcetera.
3 comments:
Well, let's look at it from a different point of view. Let's think about it in "lawyer" terms. You talked to the nurse and not the doc right? Maybe it's kinda like talking to a paralegal instead of an attorney? I can't give legal advice, even if I know the concrete and exact answer. Maybe she can't give medical advice???
I agree, Stac. That's why I sort of understand. Except that, if Rachel told a client that their child might die, I'd get on the phone myself IMMEDIATELY and offer more explaination. I suspect the nurse hasn't told the doctor exactly what she said, and that calling and saying you might want to terminate is probably not how they normally approach this.
I think that the nurse behaved very unprofessionally in talking about termination at all. If she couldn't give you figures, she shouldn't have put scary possibilities before you.
Unfortunately, my experience of the medical profession is that they become hardened in order to survive and that makes them very unempathic, unsympathetic and just bloody tactless at times.
Not all, but it certainly applies in this case.
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