Dr Dippy and the Needle of Doom

Yesterday was the day Lorii had her injection to simulate a hysterectomy.
Just getting to this point had been a small battle with our surgery; Doctors had tried to withdraw Lorii's pain medicine, refused to refer her to specialists and denied her repeat prescriptions. After finally undergoing an exploratory operation a Gynaecological Surgeon diagnosed Lorii with Endometriosis with a possible side order of Fibromyalgia. Acknowledging that Lorii was in great pain the surgeon had actually cut nerves to the worst affected areas inside her. Then once Lorii had recovered from the surgery the possibility of a hysterectomy as a long term cure was suggested. However as this is a big step from which there would be no going back it was recommended that the hysterectomy was simulated chemically first to see if this would indeed cure Lorii's Endo. The surgeon also said she would write to Lorii's surgery to recommend stronger pain meds and suggest a referral to see a specialist on Fibromyalgia.
So we wait the week the surgeon told us the letter would take and make an appointment to see a doctor at Lorii's surgery. To find the letter has not arrived and the Doctor, without the word of the surgeon, wants to interfere with Lorii's meds. We were lucky to get out of there with a repeat of what Lorii was already on, let alone any increase to combat Lorii's increasing tolerance to their effect.
Anyway, we were told Lorii would now be called in when the magical letter arrived. Which brings us to Lorii's meeting with Dr Dippy and the Needle of Doom.
The only female doctor the surgery could provide was a locum, which did not bother Lorii too much as her past record with the regular doctors was not too hot. On being called in we were met by a little old lady who must have been near the end of her career. I'll not post her name on the web just in case this farce degenerates to the point where it gets all legal and formal. Anyway the doctor seems unable to operate the computer and is unable to retrieve the letter from the surgeon. We insist it exists as it is the reason Lorii is there. After much pressing of the mouse and the opening and repeated closing of windows that contain no letter the doctor resorts to a book to find the dose of the drug that will simulate the removal of Lorii's womb. Once that is sorted we press her for the opiate based patches the surgeon had recommended. Without the letter though the doctor refuses saying, "Those are only for people in real pain." My blood boils. The pain that has been reducing Lorii to a weeping insomniac who convulses on the bed in agony was not real? The constant agonising pain the surgeon cut nerves to try and stop was imaginary? I tried to calmly point out that the large cocktail of tramadol, codine, paracetamol and ibuprofen that Lorii was on was losing its effectiveness and that something equally or more powerful needed to be explored. The doctor stuck to her guns and refused the patches. She did issue Lorii with repeats of her current medications though; something she technically should not have done as Lorii was not officially due a repeat at that time. More evidence that the doctor was was not in complete control of the computer on her desk. I understand what a locum doctor is. My faith in her medical expertise would not have been shaken if she had cursed the software and called for assistance in retrieving the patients records and details. The fact that she bluffed and lied led me to the quick decision that this woman was blagging the whole show and we were better of out of there. Lorii made a half hearted request for the Fibromyalgia referral, but this went the way of the patches; over the hill with it's backside on fire. We left with Lorii even more disillusioned with the medical fraternity and a fistful of prescriptions some of which I was not sure were correct. We went straight to the surgery's reception to book an appointment with a nurse to administer the chemical hysterectomy. While we were there we asked the receptionist if the surgeons letter was indeed on the system. I swear that receptionist had it up on screen in less than five seconds! She read it out to us! Everything the surgeon had promised was in there. Arrrgh! We ask if we can see another doctor straight away to be informed there are no appointments available until Thursday.
We decide to go fill the prescriptions, a bird in the hand if you like, and have a word with the nurse before the injection is carried out. The pharmacist does not hold the hysterectomy drug in stock so we have to come back later that day, it turns out this drug is very expensive and only ordered when needed.
The nurse is fantastic. We explain what has gone on earlier that day and she takes Lorii's medicine off to one of her regular doctors to check it is the right stuff. Once it is confirmed as correct she breaks it out, Lorii is on her back and not looking at this point, the needle is huge! I hold Lorii's hand as the injection is administered, it is over quickly, and while it obviously hurt her Lorii feels it is not as bad as she was fearing. The nurse then makes Lorii an appointment to see another doctor on Thursday to straighten out the farce of Locum. Hopefully if the analgesics are sorted and the implant works the next six months should see Lorii steadily improving. Watch this space for more news....