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Posted 4/8/2020 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Dana-Farber called last week and changed my appointment scheduled for this coming Friday to a phone call at the same time as the original appointment. I went to my local community hospital for PSA and T tests this morning in preparation for my Friday telephone appointment with D-F. The community hospital had a sign saying to enter through the Emergency entrance only. I was greeted in the lobby by a nurse who asked me the new normal screening questions, gave me a surgical mask to wear in place of the cowboy bandana I arrived with, took my temperature and sent me to the lab for the blood draw.

I also had a call from the VA to change my scheduled May appointment with my primary care doctor to a phone call. They said if I need any new prescription in the meantime my Dana-Farber doctor can fax his prescription and his medical notes to my VA doc.
Jim
Posted 4/8/2020 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
My pulmonologist's office called to tell me my appointment next week has been canceled. It will now take place April 29th, but the doctor will call me at home at the appointed hour, and we'll do the appointment on Skype or Zoom. I really can't see what good a pulmonologist can do with an online appointment, but I'm pretty sure he'll make some money.
Posted 4/8/2020 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
I set up my 3 month PSA test with LabCorp for next Wednesday at 645a. Can wait in the car and they text you when you can come it.
Posted 4/8/2020 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
My follow up with RO at MSKCC was cancelled. I was told that they would call me to reschedule when things calm down and that checking my PSA (last done 6 months ago and i am 18 months past end of SRT and 14 months past end of ADT), was not that important right now.
Posted 4/8/2020 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Had a video teleconference with URO yesterday in reference to IPP surgery. Obviously, no procedures at this time so placed on "to be scheduled" roster. URO said in past he performed this procedure only on Tuesday but will now add Wednesday due to backlog.
Posted 4/8/2020 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
Many routine appointments can be handled by phone/video. Kaiser here in NorCal have been trying to push people to that for a couple years now. Unless the doctor needs to touch you or run a test it's fine.
Posted 4/8/2020 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
All of my follow up appointments have been by virtual visit after completing SBRT at Cleveland Clinic saving me both travel time and costs. For my situation I feel no compromises to my care.
Posted 4/8/2020 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
This probably will become the future of medicine I'm afraid. I had a older Dr. friend that said this many years ago he said due to the high cost of medical school there will be a shortage of Dr's. A patient will contact a virtual Dr. give his medical problem it will be entered into a computer the computer will look at all the parameters and algorithms and come back with an answer. He wasn't to impressed said he was glad he was retired.

Larry
Posted 4/9/2020 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
And on the other hand is what I've observed with my primary care doc of may years. These days he now sits and types through appointments and sometimes has to wait for the computer system to respond. I'm sure some of his years of medical education and experience add value, but you do have to wonder when most of what happens is filling out forms and responding to a computer flagging test results to say if they are above or below normal.

I have a second primary care doc at the VA who I have to see once a year to stay in the VA's good graces. On my visits with her she too takes notes into the computer. But she faces me and is much more conversational. I'm sure part of this is just different personalities. Also part of the conversation is her scoping out whether I'm jiving her or losing my marbles.
Posted 4/10/2020 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
My VA appointment was also changed to a phone call....
Problem is even in person I have trouble understanding her, On the phone I don't have much of a chance....LOL.
Posted 4/10/2020 3:38 PM (GMT 0)

Bohemond said...
These days he now sits and types through appointments and sometimes has to wait for the computer system to respond.

My Docs all have scribes.
Posted 4/10/2020 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
Like Bohemond I have an annual physical at the VA every Feb so that I can maintain their pharmacy coverage and opt out of the medicare part D penalty. Then I typically have annual GP medicare physical in May, but not sure if that might be postponed due to COVID. I just had my routine endoscopy last month as scheduled for active surveillance, but just under the wire as things started shutting down right around then.

My wife has her routine CT scan for her lymphoma AS in a couple of weeks, but the visit with her hemo-onc will be via tele-video rather than the usual trip into Tampa for an in person exam. Just as well... she is now three years in full remission. And as I mentioned in another thread, our son in NYC has been discharged and is waiting to hear when his outpatient chemo will begin. Again, COVID complications.

My next PSA&T and visit with Uro is scheduled for late July and I'm hoping that will proceed as scheduled, because I really need to speak with him about some urinary difficulties involving the AUS since completing radiation. My RO retired within months so I have no one else to advise me on this... not that the Uro has been a fountain of information either. Ultimately I'm probably facing having to find a urologist I can trust.
Posted 4/12/2020 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
My radiation appointment was postponed at New York Presbyterian hospital and rescheduled to April 29th but don't know if that will be changed.
No hurry I guess because I'm awaiting a second opinion on my Gleason score of 6 slides from John's Hopkins.

Going a little crazy here in Manhattan. I'm not an indoor person. That and maybe facing treatment is stress inducing. I Have not had a drink in 32 years but the thoughts came into my head. Have a lot of folk to talk to (sober folk) so not in danger but interesting. Stess and boredom are killer's

Glen
Posted 4/13/2020 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
Like Pratoman, I am a patient at MSK in New York City. Started at MSK in fall of 2011. Had a set of scans and blood scheduled at end of April. These are now postponed. Instead I will do PSA near my home outside Albany, phone consult a week following. The new normal. Best wishes to all.
Posted 4/13/2020 3:04 AM (GMT 0)
I lived in Colonie next to Albany in 1990 to 1991 Coldest winter I ever went through.

Yes, it seems even my next appointment at the end of the month will be postponed. The good part is that it is gleason 6 and confined thus far so not clear on how much it could grow in a few extra months.

Glen
Posted 4/13/2020 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
Went last Thursday for my 30 day checkup at the hospital. I was asked about 6 - 8 questions prior to getting in.The place I go is where chemo is administered, so a small area of the hospital. The staff was in PPE I had my blood drawn then saw the Dr. about 60 minutes later. After I was done with her I was given my 30 day shot of Denosumab. I will have a bone and cat scan done in the coming weeks. That area of the hospital was like a ghost town. I am in Ontario, Canada

Stay safe everyone!
Posted 4/13/2020 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Good to hear from Canada. I visited Toronto in 2005 and loved the area. I could easily see myself living there if not for my friends and family down here. Lot's of my favorite past time-harness racing.

How are you doing Everton? November 2016 so you have been through a lot over these years I bet.

Glen
Posted 4/14/2020 2:20 PM (GMT 0)

theswan said...
Good to hear from Canada. I visited Toronto in 2005 and loved the area. I could easily see myself living there if not for my friends and family down here. Lot's of my favorite past time-harness racing.

How are you doing Everton? November 2016 so you have been through a lot over these years I bet.

Glen

I am doing okay thanks. with all things considered. I've gotten good care and advise from my M.O. As my signature shows I have been on Zytiga and Predislone since Sept 2018. The chemo worked well to clear up my lungs etc, with radiation to my hip looked after that problem.

Toronto is a nice big city, although I prefer a smaller city, as I am west of Toronto by about an hour.

Take care of yourself Glen.
Posted 4/14/2020 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I was scheduled a coupe of months ago for a colonoscopy for next Tuesday. The GI center just called and has a new schedule. They are doing scope work on Wednesdays only and gave me the option of having the procedure next Wednesday or deferring several weeks. Since I have been waiting a month already I opted to have the procedure on Wednesday. I am also having an endoscopy due to some stomach discomfort and want to get the information.

They went through a detailed screening regarding CV symptoms and potential exposure and I passed. It will be done again next week for both my wife and myself before they let us in the center.

Their offices are closed except for acute problems and ongoing chronic illness management. They normally schedule scope work several months in advance due to demand and they are basically only doing scope work now. They and all my other doctors are communicating several times a week with updates and information. Most all are pushing the tele-visits except my dentist. All have limited hours for emergencies.
Posted 4/14/2020 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
Everton

I did drive around Toronto's outskirts and they too were nice. Checked out harness tracks like Woodbine and Mohawk
I'm lucky because we have apartment in Manhattan and Wappingers falls North of the city
Best of both worlds but prefer upstate.
Glad you are well
JNF Glad they are scheduling. Not sure if I'll get to see oncologist for radiation end of month but maybe they will make room

Glen
Posted 4/15/2020 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
LabCorp today for my quarterly PSA and completely uneventful.
Scheduled online last week for this morning at 645a, can go in the lobby on arrival or let them know you are there and wait in the car. I chose the latter option.
Arrived at 630 and texted, got reply in under a minute that they could take me. Since I'm on file with the insurance, got to skip the registration process.
Out the door at 638a. They had a cleaning crew there and were alternating exam rooms, cleaning across the hall when the person in front of me left. They did have him wait until I was in the room before he could leave.
Posted 4/15/2020 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Give a hand to the ancillary staffing.
Maybe after this is over we begin to reward these people with at least a living wage.

One of my early job's was a porter in Manhattan so I know hard work and it's value. Lucky for me it was a union job with decent pay but that's the exception

Glen
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