MRI Part II

 The story of My Life, or rather of my general ill health, is moving faster these days then I can keep up with on this blog.

Let's see now, where were we ...

Ah yes, the MRI ordered by Dr Yoanes at Kasih Ibu Hospital. Predictably enough, this showed multiple small lacunar strokes over a period of time. With great brevity, the doctor pointed out these highlights on the MRI picture, wrote a prescription for three medications, and said goodbye. His next patient was waiting.

These meds were 1) atorvastatin, to lower my cholesterol, 2) clopidogrel, to thin my blood and 3) Xanax, for fun, I guess. Well that's not true. The Xanax is to interrupt the severe headaches I am having and allow me to sleep.

So in brief, I was feeling like shit when I went to the doctor and after I left him I felt even more like shit.

I spent the next day wondering about all of the things that the doctor did not have time to speak with me about. Such as how long will I feel like shit? How long is the recovery period from these strokes? To what extent will I recover?

As I have said all along, Dr Yoanes is competent in his field, as far as knowledge goes, but I'll be damned if he ain't the worst I've ever seen at doctor/patient communication. And remember, I worked for 25 years in an American Hospital.

So after stewing about this for some time and scanning around on the internet trying to get my own information, I talked to my girlfriend and she insisted that I try a different doctor at a different hospital. Smart girl. She looked up some numbers for me and put me in touch with a number for the international wing at Sanglah Hospital. And boy am I glad she did.

Dr. Angga, a young Indian fellow, could not be more different from Dr. Yoanes. He led me patiently through a thorough explanation of the MRI, exactly what it showed, where the problems were located. He proceeded to answer each and every question of mine, again with patience and thoroughness, and even good humor. He told me that he knows Dr. Yoanes and that he considers him quite able and intelligent. But when I mentioned the doctor's lack of communication skills, Dr. Angga just smiled and kept politely quiet. 

So anyway I came away with the same medications that Yoanes had prescribed plus two additional medications, both intended to address the headaches, which may, according to the good doctor, be caused by the atorvastatin. I will see him again in about a month after getting another blood panel. To be certain, I still feel like shit, but a little better sort of shit now.