and your credentials are?

Even 8 years ago I was very comfortable expressing my opinions (yes this is Ron not Judy!) quite freely and in a variety of settings. I recall discussing plans with Judy's medical team about the plan for surgery and then chemo. I interjected politely but firmly and made a useful contribution to their plans - actually I turned them around but I don't mean to boast. In spite of a good track record the reaction I get, no matter the weight of my input, seems to be "and what exactly are your credentials"?

"Well", I explain, "my brother is a doctor".

If that doesn't settle matters then I also trot out the heavy artillery - "Both my wife AND my daugther are nurses, further my son is doing pre-med". I find this quite sufficient to establish accreditation, sadly others are not as enlightened as I am. Dropping out of college 5 times is VERY enlightening.

This weeks visit to the oncologist was therefore satisfying in several ways;

1. After my call of the previous week he clearly felt he needed to review the way he communicated with us. We had a good sit down conference around the table and he presented various treatment studies relating to hormonal therapy and chemo treatment. We were able to discuss the various merits of the treatment options and make reference to the latest reviews and studies on the subject. All this was very helpful and we both feel very comfortable with what is being planned and how it is being managed.
2. There was a lot of good news as I've previously posted. Even just walking into the exam room Pezz could see that Judy was feeling much better. He told us he had been very concerned last week. He didnt revise the prognosis but was clearly very happy.
3. Being treated with the respect my ego deserves is very much appreciated as well. Pezz made copies of the reports he had studied and gave them to me to review as well. This is the way way things should be! Naturally given my academic history I can't follow a word of them, but he used lots of yellow highlighter, which I think means he understood it.

Overall there is no change in status or planning - we still have to wait and see the efficacy of the hormonal treatment, the way the liver progresses, and watch for evidence of further spread of the disease. IF we are able to go to NZ in Dec/Jan then we will have to take the flights in a few shorter segments and probably have a day or 2 in between.

Some people, as a closing note of defiance, have thought me insesntive in my comments about the visit of my son-in-law and his wife. Let me make 2 things clear. Firstly I AM insensitive, sorry if that is a problem for you. Secondly - don't you agree that if we won a $400,000,000 lottery tomorrow that it would still be rightly considered a consolation prize?

Finally - if you dont know me well enough - I'm happy. My wife is feeling better. When I'm happy I write nonsense that few people can decipher.