Sherry, You may have to go from a little bit assertive to aggressive with these vets. I don't know how you have handled them so far, but it sounds like they need to be reminded of who is the "customer" and who is the service provider. I see nothing wrong with telling them that you have been to Hell and back trying to help Mickey and you have heard quite enough of "it's hopeless, he doesn't have a chance, nothing will save him, we won't/can't do that." Tell them you understand his condition is grim, his prognosis isn't good, and you get it already! Chemo probably won't help him, it will be expensive and it will be pointless. Ok, you get it. Now give him the damn chemo already. It won't hurt him, it won't hurt them, and they have nothing to lose. Not that I'm saying it won't help him, but arguing with the vet and telling them it may help, and it has helped others in worse shape than Mickey is probably futile. Just agree that they are right, it probably won't work, but YOU nee! d to do it for YOURSELF to know in your heart that you tried everything. Ask them to try and muster a little freakin' compassion and use this time to work on their damn bedside manner.
The vet I took Andy to in Georgia (a woman, not my vet, owned it) spoke to her tech like I wasn't even there and kept physically taking Andy out of my arms saying how Felv is not curable and how it was irresponsible to keep him. I just needed to PTS. The third time she tried to take him from me, I told her that if she reached for him again she would be pulling back a bloody nub. I guess I said it loud enough for MY vet to hear it b/c he came in the exam room apologizing over and over. After him making me jump through hoops to get that hemobart test, and I was right and he was wrong, this just pushed me too far and he knew it. On the way out I said to him (loud enough for her to hear b/c she was looking right at me from the lab area) that any part of Dr. Bitch (won't use her name) that touched any part of my cats, she wasn't getting back. I will NOT tolerate being treated that way, and if they don't want a scene in their lobby, they won't treat me that way. You will fa! ke being nice to me, just like I do to some of my clients :) because I am the customer and I am paying YOU to help my cat. Not the other way around. If they are rude anyway, and not being compassionate anyway, what does it hurt? That just pisses me off so much for you! It's funny b/c I do try not to cuss too much, but my husband said he can tell when someone is about to be ripped a new one by me because I start it off "first of all, f@!% you...." He's like, what, is that in case you forget to say it while you're telling them off?! Now I didn't break out the "f bomb" with that vet, but she was pushing me!!!!! Good luck and just remember this is all for little Mickey. :( Jamie
