WHY SO MANY DOCTORS?

After explaining to family, friends & supporters - my search for answers, prior to diagnosis. Many people say to me 'Well, why did you go to so many doctors'?

After investigation by my state medical board- I was verbally informed that their opinion was: 'I was not at fault'. Rather they're opinion was that it was the poor quality of care I was receiving from my new primary GP that was the source of my delayed diagnosis. The fact that he was not treating me or investigating my problems fully, caused me to search for answers.

Click here to read an article, relating to my medical difficulties.

Every symptom I had was not linked together, test results were not followed up, medical notes were not sufficient and his medical knowledge about what I was dealing with was 'nil'. Indeed, he had no desire to assist me to find the source of all my health problems & symptoms.

I was working full-time in the down-town CBD (Jan/05-Sep/06) fighting with pain, fatigue & new symptoms on a constant basis. I was visiting my primary GP, after work and others on days off or sometimes weekends to get help, when my primary GP would not assist me.

Then at night, I was looking after the family, it was 11 months of terrible pain and heartache. I remember visiting 1 doctors surgery in the CBD twice - during my lunch break....I was desperate and was also fobbed off there too (in the end, seven surgeries did the same to me). I recall that as my back pain and fatigue worsened - my thought was that 'it must be my uncomfortable chair'. I thought often & was constantly comforted by the fact that I worked close to city hospitals and thought that if I collapsed, at least the ambulance would be able to get me there fast.

Traveling to/from the CBD in a train to work daily or sitting on any hard surface was very painful and I felt terrible physically all over....it was hard to get up @ 5am every morning to commute 1 hour to work every day and then walk 15 minutes to my work (at the time, Boeing Australia) and repeat it at the end of the day. Physically I looked OK, and having no diagnosis meant I had to continue. One particular day we all had to walk up a long incline to reach a work function, by the time I got there - my heart beating erratically and I felt like fainting, but I had to remain composed.

I was also involved in the Boeing Environmental committee. Myself and one of my male work colleagues/committee leader, were invited to go to Steve Irwin's memorial service @ the Australia Zoo. It was broadcasted to billions worldwide and we felt honoured to be there in person.

I was only 1 month away from being diagnosed and the pain travelling up there and sitting in a hard seat was unbelievable - yet no matter who I told, nobody listened. People around me would tell me to 'shut-up' about it and stop talking about it, I knew there was something wrong with me and often felt completely hopeless & empty, not knowing which way to turn.

I couldn't get rid of infection & seemed to catch anything floating around. In order to stay awake, I self-medicated on huge amounts of caffeine, just to keep myself going through the work day. I worked for 3 aviation related companies in the CBD prior to diagnosis, from January/05, through to discovery of my condition in late September/06.

Then the journey began....(Jodie’s Triumph)

Eleven months prior to diagnosis (November 2005) when I finally felt a lump in my R breast - I knew in my head & my heart that something was not right & I then launched my own search to find out what was wrong. I have always known that not only was negligence involved, but also a deeper issue that millions grapple with globally. YOUTH can often be a setback when trying to get a diagnosis. I look well most of the time and I look about 25, when really - I am much older. Not only are cancers in the 18-40 age groups usually more aggressive, but also masked by the way a younger person looks. Therefore delayed diagnosis is also a huge issue for this age group.

(I was 35 when I was diagnosed and did not appear sick, still now, even on my worst days, I look beautiful and youthful and thus this can be a problem, when relating my pain and body symptoms).

After 21 doctors visits with 7 different doctors, in desperation I visited my ER & thus our discovery, treatment commenced.

After treatment and approx. 6 months of recovery, I decided to return to full-time work & I hung on for an additional 8 months, until my health declined again & it was time to look at treatment for a second time (relapse 01).

Most people could not believe I was returning to try work again - what I had been through was extraordinary, but I wanted to start again in my previous full-time job. I had determined that this Lymphoma was not going to retire me....not just yet anyway.

It was when I had first stepped into remission (March/07) that I started to explore my options regarding legal action or an investigation.

I started on the internet and everything I read just sounded like my previous experiences. I started to contact lawyers with expertise in medical negligence. By November/07, I had returned to work, but did not give up in trying to get to the bottom of why I was treated so poorly, in trying to achieve diagnosis.

Relapse started again in January/08 and I left work for more treatment in August/08 (relapse 01). Subsequently, regardless of whether I worked or not, I continued to pursue a legal case or investigation, even as I recovered from the first lot of disease and through the first relapse.

To come to a final resolution, it took me 2 years & 3 months of consulting, discussions and investigations with both the Health Quality & Complaints Commission & The Queensland Medical Board to finally get an outcome, in my favour.

I had little support from all angles and was aware that many people around me had told me that chasing it was a 'waste of time' or 'not good for me'. But, I continued (on my own) as felt I needed closure and also to ensure this did not happen to any other patients, in the interest of public safety.

To this day, it is my firm belief that due to the medical negligence and subsequent delayed diagnosis, I received - my health status has remained in a relapsing pattern. The deeper the disease, the harder to medically treat it and keep it away.

It is now my hope that I will TODAY be rid of all tumour and disease, to start a new life.