My youngest brother is 28, married with two kids and was diagnosed last Thursday with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was admitted to the hospital the next day as his platelet count was hovering between 20 and 30k. Low platelets is below 50k where they recommend you don't shave, use a nail clipper or knives, bend over or walk around barefoot.
I know you need to be your own advocate in the healthcare system but he has no concept and I don't know enough to be able to know if he's getting the right care. In general I trust the healthcare system. But I want to know that the doctors considered x, y and z and didn't choose because of such and such reasons even if those reasons are "we don't have the facilities or experience for those treatments"
But what we get are perfunctory stat reports and then sudden announcements that they are going to be doing something in the next 4 hours. The communication is worse than any software project I have ever been on.
I need to invest time in learning about his illness without getting a doctorate but don't have any doctor friends to even point me in the right direction.
I know you need to be your own advocate in the healthcare system but he has no concept and I don't know enough to be able to know if he's getting the right care. In general I trust the healthcare system. But I want to know that the doctors considered x, y and z and didn't choose because of such and such reasons even if those reasons are "we don't have the facilities or experience for those treatments"
But what we get are perfunctory stat reports and then sudden announcements that they are going to be doing something in the next 4 hours. The communication is worse than any software project I have ever been on.
I need to invest time in learning about his illness without getting a doctorate but don't have any doctor friends to even point me in the right direction.