tip #56

Cancer tip 56 – Caregiver stuff continued. Contact info. Pestering doctors is what we do, but in order effectively drive them as crazy as we can, we need to know how to contact them.  Somebody should make a list of all the needed potential contacts. I say make the patient do it – his dance card probably isn’t all that full and would welcome the task. Those numbers need to include everyone on the medical team, employers, insurers, pizza delivery boy (no kidding mine is on speed dial), and anyone else who can help in a pinch. That list should be posted somewhere at home. I had one of those cork bulletin boards I put I the kitchen (the pizza joint’s flyer was also there). Now here is the trick – know what an emergency is. After different times an emergency can mean different things depending on where you are on the journey – so know what one is and know who t call when you have one. Some doctor’s use a service after hours and some may ask you turn off the call waiting on your phone before the doc calls back. Anyway, know how your phone works. Adult patients have a lot of info they need to share --- so sweat ‘em. Like who’s the little old lady that handles disability at the office? Why do you have Selma Hayek’s home phone number? For someone who can’t taste anything, you sure have a bunch of restaurants on you contact info, why is that?  Who’s the nurse navigator coordinator at the doctor’s office? Pay special attention to the after hours stuff. Oh I almost forgot, when the hospital calls to update your before your scheduled stay make sure you get a call back number in case you have to answer the door for the pizza guy.