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The very best Doctors will WELCOME a patient or caregiver who wants to seek a second opinion.
No
matter how "expert" the physicians, they are only human. As humans,
they CAN make mistakes, or miss something. Some patients prefer to put
their total trust in one doctor, and I certainly understand that
feeling. For one thing, it reduces the tremendous stress of dealing
with cancer.
My personal opinion is
that patients (or caregivers) should also follow their "gut." If
something feels wrong to you, I applaud questioning the reasons behind
ANY MD's decisions, and asking them questions. If the answers still
leave "that funny feeling" inside of you, SEEK A SECOND OPINION, OR A
THIRD!
Good doctors know that a
patient or caregiver who wants a second opinion is not insulting them.
Good doctors know that another set of eyes may spot something they
missed, or have a different trial or drug available. I know patients
who have seen BOTH Demetri and Blanke, for example, and both doctors
welcomed the second set of eyes. Their feelings were not hurt, because
it is not about THEM or their egos, it is about WHAT IS BEST FOR THE
PATIENT.
It's your body, and it's
YOUR life. Certainly, having faith in your doctor is a good thing! It
is also a good thing to seek other opinions and have as many brilliant
heads working on your unique case as you can afford.
I
am treated by Dr. Blanke, and I respect and trust him. If the time ever
comes when I want to see George Demetri, or a doctor at MSKCC, or FCCC,
or MDA, he will support that decision completely and cooperate in any
way possible.
