I cancelled my surgery today...

[Meili]

I was really excited about the surgery on Tuesday and today is my admission day to the hospital. However, I cancelled my surgery today. As I'm treated in public hospital, I don't get to choose which surgical oncologist to operate for me. This morning, I was introduced to the surgeon, a nice guy but only 3 years out of medical school. We had some conversation and somehow I don't feel convinced to put my fate on his hand. I cancelled the surgery and will have to wait for another month for a very experienced surgeon. Don't know if I have made the right choice or not. Just feel surgery like colon resection, the surgoen's experience and skills are very crucial. Hope the one month's wait worth it...

[meatie]

@Meili

I think you've made a terrible mistake. Med school is very different from say a 4-yr engineering program. Bachelor's degree programs are usually mostly classroom lectures and some labs. Med school involves a lot of hands on experience at major hospitals. 3 years out from med school fellowship graduation is experience enough.

You have burnt some bridges at that hospital. That surgeon you rejected and the anasthesiologist assigned for the surgery are definitely not happy about you wasting their time like this.

[DBF]

I understand not wanting to go into a surgery having a bad or uneasy feeling about it. I don't think you've burned any bridges- and anyway, Bellevue is a big place with a lot of surgeons.

Going forward, can you research some Bellevue surgeons (many have affiliations with NYU next door) and choose someone you feel comfortable with?

Don't beat yourself up for going with your gut instinct.

[mstults]

So they told you that you could have another surgeon in a month? A professional should understand your hesitancy. If he isn't professional you definitely don't need him.

[KWT]

Lighten up meatie

Butt I don't think being three years out of med school is a bad thing. I like them young fired up.... Like my women

[justin case]

No matter what decision you make, it is your decision. Colon cancer can be slow growing, and through all your decisions, make YOU, the Number 1 priority!
Michael

[ANDRETEXAS]

I would want a CERTIFIED colorectal surgeon operating on me unless it was an emergency and time was of the essence.

[Bev G]

Hi.

I'm sure that was a very hard and very stressful experience. If the doc who was going to operate on you was only 3 years out of medical school, he hasn't even completed his residency yet, little less a fellowship in surgical oncology. Med school is 4 years, a surgical residency would add another 4+ years, and a surgical oncology fellowship would add another 2 or more years. Given what you said about where he is out of training, he would not have been operating on you by himself. He would have had an attending or fellow in the OR with him. However, I think you made a great decision given the information you were apparently told.

Try to clarify who will be attending you before the next OR date. Ask very specific questions (who exactly will be operating on me? Has he/she completed his/her residency? Has he/she completed a fellowship? If there are physicians-in-training to be involved in your surgery, find out exactly what that person will be responsible, and who will be there to back them up? Who will be instantly available if something goes wrong? Don't worry that they are mad at you. They aren't, I'm sure. Surgeries get cancelled all the time and quite honestly the docs are pretty glad to get some spare time to complete the other things they have to do each day. As far as whether there is a risk in you waiting a bit for the surgery---if your tumor is at risk of obstructing that could be a real problem. If you have not been told that you are nearly obstructed, I wouldn't be concerned at all.

Take it easy on yourself. I think you did the right thing. Also, try not to be too worried about being in a "public" hospital. Both I and my husband have worked/taught in two of them. The faculty there have to be good to get academic positions, the residents are still learning, but they have tons of supervision. If you don't like the ambiance of the "public" hospital, try to just ignore it if you can--you're not going to live there. The deal is to get in, get your surgery, and get home safely. Some facilities look better than others, no doubt, but please don't confuse the looks of the facility with the quality of care they will provide. The most unpleasant looking place I've worked in was probably LA County-USC Medical Center (General Hospital in the TV soap opera of years ago). it was not nice to look at, but it was clean, had great staff, and by and large very good outcomes.

From Wiki:

Training[edit]
The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence, supported by a number of clinical trials[citation needed], that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume -- i.e., the more cancer cases a surgeon treats, the more proficient he becomes, and his or her patients experience improved survival rates as a result. This is another controversial point, but it is generally accepted -- even as common sense -- that a surgeon who performs a given operation more often, will achieve superior results when compared with a surgeon who rarely performs the same procedure. This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) for pancreatic cancer, and gastrectomy with extended (D2) lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer. In the United States and Canada, fellowship trained surgical oncologists have among the longest training periods of any physicians/surgeons. A training period (clinical and research) of 6 to 8 years is typical and 8-10 years is not uncommon.

Best wishes to you and try not to worry.

Bev

[meatie]

I would want a CERTIFIED colorectal surgeon operating on me unless it was an emergency and time was of the essence.

I don't know if Meili's situation counts as an emergency, but time is of great essence. Each passing day is another extra day for the cancer to metastasize. The sooner it is out of the body the better.

[Val*pal]

Meatie, you are out of line. Knock it off.

[ANDRETEXAS]

I don't think a month is going to make a difference.

[skypup]

Meili, don't worry about meatie's posts, he is brand new at this and tends to freak out. Sounds to me like you have made a very sound decision. It is really good to listen to a combination of your brains and your intuition, and I don't believe for a second your next surgeon will have any hard feelings at all about your canceling. Besides, it's your life and you have to be the #1 person taking care of it. Good for you!

[Voxx66]

You only get one chance at this so you had best be comfortable with your choice of surgeon. Personally I think some of the younger ones are the best - but obviously not always. I doubt you are running much risk by waiting a month. Hopefully you will like your next one better.

V

[Cj51]

I like young Dr's as well, they're full of the latest information and techniques, but if this surgeon didn't strike you as someone you'd trust, then you did the right thing. You're not getting your hair cut here. This is a situation where you need to be confident that you're in the right hands. Bev gave you some excellent advice.

Colon cancers are often slower growing, and the possibility of it suddenly metastasizing is probably really not a real concern. If you had an aggressive cancer, then you'd have heard about it by now. Please don't let meatie's posts worry you--he may have good intentions but as others have said, he tends to freak out easily. (and often). Sorry meatie, but you know it's true.

Best of luck to you.
Cj

[Teddi]

I would have, and in fact did, make the same decision. I cancelled surgery with the newly minted Dr. My HMO assigned me. He was board eligible for colorectal surgery, but had not bothered to take his exam yet. Said he does rectal resection surgery about every three months. He told me he would give me an APR with permanent colostomy. Period. Second opinion at at a cancer center said LAR with 80% chance of reconnect. Third opinion was even more experienced, does colorectal surgery almost exclusively, will do LAR and even more positive about reconnect. I went on chemo and have waited four months to have surgery with #3 after insurance changes in January. A risk, yes, but one I was willing to take. Gotta go with your gut. You only get one shot at this, so make sure you trust the person holding your fate in their hands. Bev made a bunch of great points in her post. Good luck!

Teddi