Gall bladder stones - why specialist doctors are so inhuman ?

In late Sept 2009, my wife went to a gastroenterologist at a private hospital in PJ for a scope on the stomach and colon. My wife has been treated for H Pylori by this Gastro man for past months. The last scope indicated no more H Pylori but instead acute esophagus (as explained by this gastro man). At that time, the specialist attributed the cause of this ‘ new discovery’ as too much treatment on the H Pylori. Of course I inquired then which is the devil- H Pylori or the ‘acute esophagus’. He just laughed it off. We left the hospital and I goggled for treatment on acute esophagus. I later bought marshmallow (recommended as a cure for acute esophagus)

This time (late Sept 09), the scope shows colon is clean while there is recurrence of the H Pylori. The gastro man prescribed medicine (antibiotic with other medicine) to treat H Pylori again. I posed the question that in last session where ’ you advised my wife has acute esophagus due to too much treatment. Is this wise to treat the H Pylori?’ The doctor insisted he did not said too much treatment caused acute esophagus, but rather H Pylori caused the acute esophagus. I was really pissed off with this specialist.

This specialist further made a quick remark; we did a ultrasound scan and detected a stone. Right away he recommended us to see another doctor. We had no chance to inquire further. My wife got worried and insisted to see the recommended doctor in the same hospital.

Within 30 minutes, we go to see this specialist, and it turned out that he is a surgeon. He read the report by the radiologist (on the ultrasound scan) on one stone 7mm with irregular wall of gall bladder. The Radiologist termed it as chronic cholecystitis. We said my wife had never complained of any pain in the abdomen where the gall bladder is located (non –symptom stone). This surgeon painted a very bleak picture of no immediate action to remove by surgery (lapro cholecystitis) and my wife got worried.

We left the hospital and googgled on gall bladder stones. Indeed, it is common for human (especially women ) to have non-symptomatic gall bladder stones. The Web does advise actions to remove stones that show symptoms less there are complication to pancreas, livers and bile ducts. The Web also give alternatives such as ‘blasting’ and ‘dissolution’ by medicine.

We finally went to see a family GP for further advise. He perused the blood test to confirm no tests was done to determine concentration of H Pylori (the gastro man only did a biopsy on one poly he clipped during scoping; In previous sessions with this specialist, my wife had to exhale into a bag to determine H Pylori concentration). The GP recommended 3 months session to try ROWACHOL, a medicine which I have googgled previously. We took this option, rather than to remove the gall bladder.
(P.S the gastro man is a very ambitious man- his takes in patient without appointment and clinic daily finished till 7pm; by 5.30 nearly all other specialists would have closed their clinics in this private hospital. NEVER go to see a specialist who worked ‘hard’ to receive many patients)

Too frequent funerals in past 2 months

From July 2009 till Sept 2009, I attended 4 funerals of persons whom I have been very close or known very well. In early July 2009, my 2nd uncle (mother side) passed away due to 'massive cardiac arrest'. He died in the hospital after complaining difficulty of breathing He was 85 years old. One week later, Chow KK, a good friend and a previous director -general of the Malaysian Met Department, passed away in his sleep. He was 63 years old. Then in early Sept 2009, my mother-in-law passed away. She was 83 years old and had been having medical problem. One week thereafter, a brother-in-law(wife's side) passsed away due to cancer of lung. He was 50 years old, and he left behind 3 kids (eldest is Standard 6 and youngest is Standard 1); fortunately the wife works and is relatively successful in sales.
As I step in the late 50s, seem funerals are common , especially with aunties, uncles, relatives reaching the 70-90 years old. Nowadays, when a phone rings, especially at night, I get jumpy and prepared for the worst