Trusting Doctors: A Double-Edged Sword?
We all want to have faith in the medical professionals who take care of us. Most of the time, they are our health’s best allies. But sometimes, even the best-laid plans of highly educated men and women can go awry, leading to outcomes that are nothing short of catastrophic.
Anthony Olson, a name now synonymous with persistence in the face of adversity, lived through an experience that might make you question every slightly dramatic health-related worry you’ve ever had.
Back in the heady days of 2011, at just 33 years young, Anthony sought medical help at St. Peter’s Health in Helena, Montana. This was the only acute adult healthcare facility in his vicinity, which meant he was pretty much backed into a geographic corner. Enter Dr. Thomas C. Weiner, the former oncologist armed with a potentially misguided diagnosis.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome: The C Word No One Wants
The dreaded C word – cancer – and in this case, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or MDS, which is where the spotlight falls. MDS, in the medical world, is when your blood cells down in the bone marrow decide they don’t want to grow up to be healthy, mature cells. It’s a grouped cancer diagnosis, just to keep things exciting and confusing.
Anything but a walk in the park, MDS was a dire prognosis, with Dr. Weiner informing Anthony that without immediate treatment, he wouldn’t survive the year. Looking back, Olson attests, ‘the diagnosis changed the direction of my life.’
The Great Biopsy Conundrum
Before the fountain of chemo began to flow, there were two bone marrow biopsies. One biopsy screamed MDS, while the other was as calm and clear as Montana’s big sky. Ten months post MDS diagnosis, that second biopsy yelled “False alarm!”
Yet, treatment marched on, chemotherapy pumped in without pause. Dr. Weiner seemed to view that clean biopsy as “proof” the treatment was doing its job. Imagine being patted on the back for holding an umbrella in a drought.
Despite multiple retests over nine years, revealing no shred of MDS, Anthony’s health drama continued until Dr. Robert LeClair, a kidney specialist, made a guest appearance in 2016. His attention was originally focused on Olson’s kidney dialysis but soon, he noticed a mysterious ‘iron overload.’
The Bitter Truth of Misdiagnosis
By 2016, whispers of misdiagnosis began circulating. Dr. LeClair also discovered that Anthony’s chemotherapy cocktails were exacerbating a pre-existing condition, anemia, which he had been managing since before his MDS saga began.
Fast forward to the year of reckoning, 2019. Convinced beyond doubt that Anthony had been running a wild goose chase with a non-existent illness, Dr. LeClair encouraged seeking fresh eyes on the case.
A crucial peer review committee meeting led to Dr. Weiner’s dismissal and ignited a legal firestorm. Anthony, halting his chemo run in 2021, pursued legal action against St. Peter’s, achieving a confidential settlement.
Not one to go quietly, Dr. Weiner countered with a lawsuit for defamation and wrongful termination. Unfortunately for him, the case was dismissed, now languishing in appeal limbo at the state’s Supreme Court.
Reflecting on a Nine-Year Roller Coaster
Olson’s tale is a poignant exploration of the astonishing human resilience in the face of medical mishandling. One can only ponder the emotional and physical toll nine years of unnecessary chemotherapy has on a person.
As the medical and legal worlds await final judgment, Anthony’s journey serves not only as a cautionary tale but as a call for persistent advocacy in personal health matters. After all, who stands as your better advocate than you?
