March 11 - GI Doctor Minissale

Not getting any better. The pain in my left side is still bothering me. Growing more tired. I tried communicating with Dr. Ukropic via email but she doesn't seem to think there is anything wrong even though my blood work from the ER shows my cell counts are off and I'm still not getting better. Advice to others: Make sure you find a doctor you like BEFORE you get sick. Though Dr. Notte left and me getting sick was relatively a short time frame, perhaps knowing he was leaving, I should've started asking around. It seems to me that medical care should be very much like choosing a hair stylist or a contractor for your house: Why should I choose you? There should be a consultation in which we discuss their beliefs (are they aggressive in treatment? Do they believe in a wait and see approach? How do they feel about trying natural/nature remedy first?). There should also be price lists. Seriously. This is one big complaint of mine. When I didn't have insurance (I was quite healthy for almost 8 years w/o insurance! Sometimes I feel that having insurance can make you run to the doctor - and many doctors are all too happy too write a prescription or send you for testing when a wait and see approach is actually better). Anyway.
So I ask my friends for family doctor recommendations. Dr. Fissel comes up a few times. I make an appointment, but since I'm "new" even though I'm sick, I have to wait until April 25th. I take it. I make an appointment with an ob/gyn that my sister in law uses who also comes highly recommended - Dr. Ianerei but again - can't get in until April 17th.
My GI doc (who I've been seeing since the incident in September of 2013) fit me in and he thinks my pain is not GI related - no bleeding from my poop chute! He orders blood work for me and suggests I  and wants to schedule me for a colonoscopy.
I totally balk on the colonoscopy. I don't want to be put under anesthesia because of my cardiac history of being put under anesthesia and because he seemed quite convinced it's not GI related.

On March 12 I went to have get my blood work done at Quest (I despise Quest. Again, prices should be listed. There is always a wait. There is only one nice tech who works there. They don't post lab results online and they always try to double bill me. Always.  Abington lab is RIGHT behind the one in Chalfont and the lady is totally nice (I wouldn't discover this till later) and there is never a line and you get your results the NEXT DAY!). I was feeling a bit better on Wednesday. I thought perhaps I was getting better. Yay!
And then Thursday, March 13th rolled around. Now I know why the 13th is an unlucky day - though looking back now, it was probably a lucky day for me!