Doctors, doctors...

So it's time to do a post-op checkup. No problem, mostly just answering a questionnaire, and getting some X-rays. I could do it through my primary care physician, but the neurosurgeon whom I'd first consulted had told me he was interested to see how things went after surgery in Germany, so I tried to schedule an appointment with him.

Ten or twelve phone calls to his admin (who never answers the phone, and instead returns messages at her whim), with no reply. Finally, she called back, wanting to know what sort of appointment I'd need. She said she'd consult with the doctor to see how much time the appointment would need, and call me back. She never did, of course.

More phone messages, and finally I left one stating that if they didn't want to see me, they should just tell me so.

Magically, she called me back within 20 minutes. Basically, they didn't want to see me, as I'd had surgery done by another doctor. The surgeon would talk to me by phone (two week wait for a phone call!), but not an office visit. In fact, she told me no surgeon would see me. I'd have to get my primary care physician to schedule the X-rays.

So, there's something of a surgeon's club, with rules that don't let them look at other surgeon's patients. I asked what would happen if I just moved from somewhere else - would they still ignore me? Her answer - "If you'd moved here several months after surgery, no, we wouldn't see you".

I wonder what the magic time is when they'll deign to see me?

It's not really that big of a deal, but I thought the surgeon (who's never done this sort of operation) might like to hear what went on and look at the X-rays. So much for professional curiosity, I guess he'll read some journals about it and find some brave soul to be his first patient.