I have to say, I absolutely agree with AnneMarie...however, that doesn't mean I disagree w/Chelee, or her frustrations or attempts to resolve her grievance.
We've
all had great challenges w/our doctors, somewhere along the way on this bumpy journey. And the longer you've been fighting, and the more complex your disease, the more likely that there'll be more bumps down the road. I plan to travel this road for a long, long, LONG time and have to pick my battles, because I know I'm in it to win the War.
I left the first Onc that treated me b/c it became apparent that my case (StageIV @primary dx, 1 year chemo, 1 year NED, then recurrence) became too complex, too time consuming, too confusing, too demanding,
too something???, with obvious oversights in my care (like not reading the 2nd page of a CT/PET, sending me for RFA of a liver met, when the PET report said that there was "no uptake" in the lesion detailed in the CT). I didn't immediately leave her care because I had once really, really liked, trusted and respected her. It was a frustrating and disheartening experience.
And even though I LOVE where I'm being treated now, there are
still frustrations to deal with, and always will be, including major oversights (the NP made a mistake when writing the dosing for my Abraxane/Herceptin regimen that wasn't caught until the 3rd cycle...that Abraxane costs $10,000/dose!!!)And my disease has continued to become more complex & the road has continued to be bumpy-sometimes more so than others...
But I've learned "the system" & more importantly, how to "work the system". If I have a question about my care/treatment/scan report,etc, I'll call my docs w/
solutions I've researched to my questions and ask for
their opinion & input. After a scan, I'll call and leave a message and say "I just had my scan & I know you can get a preliminary "verbal" (they can call in & listen to the radiologists dicated, "verbal" report), but when shall I call back for the final report?"
I have a much different relationship with this Onc than I did my first, but I am also a
different patient than I was before. I want and need my docs compassion, but mostly their EXPERTISE. I feel very fortunate that I have an
abundance of both in the team that helps guide me through my continued treatment and care.
I have to remind myself that I am only 1 of their
many patients, and so it's MY JOB to make ME a priority, & make use of my time w/my docs wisely.
W/NED at my side, I'm happy to keep my visits short & sweet, so that my docs may spend more time with their more complex cases & patients that might be going thru a rough patch. Somwhere down the road, I may need more of their focus and attention again.
And I always try remember that they too have live's outside of their work-in order to do their jobs at their best and highest abilities, they must create a boundary and leave work, at work.
Chelee-Don't abandon your grievance, but I encourage you to do what it takes & utilize your energy to find the right doctor for you.
Is there a facility that is truly INTERDISCIPLINARY-with all docs under one roof, access to the same information, like scan/lab/path reports, in the same computer system, access to one another, like in a weekly Tumor Board setting? My moving from a private practice environment to an Interdisciplinary Cancer Center has made a HUGE difference in the quality of my care & life!
An invaluable piece of advice I was given when I left the first Onc, was to ask the new Onc (& every doc I've met since) what to expect as her patient -How long will it take to get an appt, scan results, lab results, etc? How will you expect to receive those results-by phone?by email? face to face? How accessible is s/he-by phone, by email? Be clear about your expectations & needs & create a collaborative relationship.
You're going to be traveling this road for a little while, (& to quote Dr.Phil 
) Would you rather be Right or Happy?
Choose Happy!
Best of luck & Keep the Faith~