HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

Sandy in Silicon Valley · 10-12-2007, 04:42 PM

Hi, Chrisy,

Oh, yeah - your echo tech sounds like a doozie!!! You might consider (if you have nothing better to do - haha!) writing a letter to the hospital/clinic where you got the echo done, and reporting that tech's behavior - especially what she said about "if I had cancer..." Who asked her, anyway???

Once upon a time, back when Stanford was still using its antiquated MUGA machine, I was assigned to a tech-from-hell. She kept up a steady patter of TMI about the test, the machine, the contrast dye, etc. - but when I complained that the exercise stationary bike she had me on was twisted in an awkward manner, to drape my left arm up over the MUGA scanner, she said "No, it's not!" I finally had to refuse to try to strain my arm up behind my head to reach over the barrel of the machine, before she (grumpily) told me to get off the bike, and, grunting and groaning, repositioned it better for me. After that, she continued to behave insufferably. I'm sure that my bp was through the roof by the time I left that test!

So I went to the reception desk, asked for the name of the physician in charge of the department, and went home and wrote a detailed letter, documenting the tech's numerous missteps, and my feeling of having been mistreated and disrespected as a patient.

I got a letter back in a few weeks, from the Chair of the Dept., apologizing for my experiences, saying he was new, and trying to "correct longstanding problems", and promising that I'd never have to deal with that tech again.

I actually did get assigned to her last week, over 3 years later, when I went for a bone density test - but I don't think she recognized me, and other than the unsolicited TMI patter, she was polite and respectful. I kind of hope that she got read the riot act, way back then, due to my having complained, and maybe cleaned up her act, or got some remedial people-skills training - but even if that's not the case, I'm glad I made the effort, and got my grievances off my chest.

(((hugs)))
Sandy in Silicon Valley

10-12-2007, 04:42 PM	#5
Sandy in Silicon Valley Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 76	med techs from hell... Hi, Chrisy, Oh, yeah - your echo tech sounds like a doozie!!! You might consider (if you have nothing better to do - haha!) writing a letter to the hospital/clinic where you got the echo done, and reporting that tech's behavior - especially what she said about "if I had cancer..." Who asked her, anyway??? Once upon a time, back when Stanford was still using its antiquated MUGA machine, I was assigned to a tech-from-hell. She kept up a steady patter of TMI about the test, the machine, the contrast dye, etc. - but when I complained that the exercise stationary bike she had me on was twisted in an awkward manner, to drape my left arm up over the MUGA scanner, she said "No, it's not!" I finally had to refuse to try to strain my arm up behind my head to reach over the barrel of the machine, before she (grumpily) told me to get off the bike, and, grunting and groaning, repositioned it better for me. After that, she continued to behave insufferably. I'm sure that my bp was through the roof by the time I left that test! So I went to the reception desk, asked for the name of the physician in charge of the department, and went home and wrote a detailed letter, documenting the tech's numerous missteps, and my feeling of having been mistreated and disrespected as a patient. I got a letter back in a few weeks, from the Chair of the Dept., apologizing for my experiences, saying he was new, and trying to "correct longstanding problems", and promising that I'd never have to deal with that tech again. I actually did get assigned to her last week, over 3 years later, when I went for a bone density test - but I don't think she recognized me, and other than the unsolicited TMI patter, she was polite and respectful. I kind of hope that she got read the riot act, way back then, due to my having complained, and maybe cleaned up her act, or got some remedial people-skills training - but even if that's not the case, I'm glad I made the effort, and got my grievances off my chest. (((hugs))) Sandy in Silicon Valley __________________ 1992 - age 44/ ER-/PR+ Stage II dx - mastectomy, CAF x 6 cycles; Tamoxifen 1997 - BRCA1 mutation dx'd 1998 - ovaries removed 1999 - off Tamoxifen, on Arimidex 2003 - dx'd Stage IV - lymph nodes & lungs. ER-/PR-/HER2neu+++. Tx: Herceptin & Taxotere (6 cycles). 2005 - 2.9cm x 3.6cm brain tumor. Craniotomy, CyberKnife. 9 mo. staph aureus infection at incision site - 2nd craniotomy. Two small brain mets CyberKnife'd. 2006 - revisit Xeloda - dosage lowered to 2500mg/day, 5 cycles. 2007 - "spot" dx'd on qtrly brain MRI - same location as CyberKnife 7/05. > by 2-4mm per quarter - - radiation injury or re-growing cancer? Tykerb added to Herceptin - July, still "watching & waiting". Otherwise, fully functional... "The majority of people are not only afraid of holding a wrong opinion, they are afraid of holding an opinion alone." Kierkegaard