Alex White6 said:Hello everyone... this is certainly a thread I hoped I would never have to open, yet unfortunately, here I am.
I recently discovered that my aunt, whom I’ve lived with for six years now, is battling stomach cancer. It was only caught in stage four, far too late. After the initial shock, grief, and tears, I find myself transitioning into a phase of pure fury. A fury that drives me to do everything in my power to ease her suffering, a fury directed at this vile, insidious disease that I want to defeat alongside her, and finally, a fury toward one highly esteemed, renowned, and "overly qualified" gastroenterologist in Washington, D.C. He was utterly incapable of diagnosing a tumor that was already in its advanced stages, and he refused to perform a gastroscopy even after she pleaded that she hadn't felt right for months.
Because of his nonchalance and supposed "expertise" (she went to him for stomach issues, but during an ultrasound, he "spotted" uterine fibroids and polyps which, of course, turned out to be non-existent), the tumor eventually perforated her stomach, and she nearly died from sepsis.
Thank God for the physicians at the hospital in Cleveland who acted swiftly and saved her life. Her condition remains critical, but we are hoping for the best possible outcome...
To that "expert" gastroenterologist, we owe nothing more than a private lawsuit, though I fear that given his reputation, it might just be a futile struggle against windmills.
Stay strong, everyone... I am off to visit my dear aunt now and try to bring a little laughter to her side.
Unfortunately, doctors are merely human and capable of error. Yet, we find it so difficult to accept those mistakes, don't we? Especially when they involve errors of such gravity.
Eight years ago, my mother began experiencing sudden bleeding. Believing it was simply menopause—as she was exhibiting all the typical symptoms—she didn't seek medical attention immediately. Eventually, she saw a gynecologist in San Francisco and then another in Cleveland, neither of whom knew what was happening, though they suspected uterine cancer. Upon hearing that, she traveled to Vienna to see the gynecologist who had operated on her six years prior (it was for a benign cervical tumor, if I recall correctly). That doctor was visibly shaken by the diagnoses, because, as it turns out, she didn't have cancer at all, but rather a spontaneous miscarriage. 😲
That is why, ten months ago when things escalated, my father didn't hesitate to take her to Italy... although they make mistakes there as well. They once diagnosed an elderly woman, who had been treated for ovarian cancer, with lung metastases. They were already preparing her for a lobectomy... until they repeated the tests and realized the metastasis wasn't there. Fortunately, 🙏they repeat tests and remain vigilant.
During my mother's surgery, two oncologists, a pathologist, a surgeon, and an anesthesiologist were present. Mistakes were simply not an option.
Be there for your aunt; stay strong and ready for the fight! There is no point dwelling on the failures of that "gastroenterologist"—focus only on how you can support her. She needs your strength against the illness, not a battle against doctors... lawsuits won't help her... not one bit.
Hang in there! Kisses