My mother cannot see a very good specialist in B'ham because she has medicare and they don't reimburse like other forms of insurance, so he chooses not to see all medicare patients. Maybe this group has some financial reason as to why they would rather send you to the Red Cross. Maybe their staff just doesn't have the skill. I know that they sometimes have better people at the Red Cross that are good at getting blood from all kinds of areas on the body. I was thinking I would have to go there should my personal situation change. Do not let this get you down. You are not alone. I'm sure many just don't know what to suggest that you do. Maybe just ask them why are they going to refer. I think you do have patient rights. Suzq.

I am not sure where you live but I have gotten very good care from the hemotologist at my local cancer center. I too have trouble with scarred veins and getting the blood was a nightmare. My doctor arranged for me to have a "port" put into my chest like they use to give cancer patients chemo. It works very well although ports are usually used to put things into the body rather than take them out. It involved a minor operation but has been a God-send for both the nurses and me...it was so hard to get blood out of my arms that the nurses and I would all cry...

Maybe there is another doctor nearby that will be more helpful. I go to Glens Falls hospital in the Adirondacks of New York State USA.

God bless...it sounds very difficult.

thank you joyce. i, too, had the port and the techs who installed it damaged my vagus nerve. i thought i was going to choke to death before they got it out. and it was done at one of the cancer cntr's here in huntsville.

see, this is my whole problem. all of this damage was accrued during med procedures done before my HH was diagnosed. now, no one wants to touch me, for fear of law suit, i guess. i didn't do this to my self, it was done to me.......now, no one will help me.