Marguerite
Active Member
What a day! I knew we had a busy schedule but we did our best to organise things so we had no need to rush. But some circumstances do collaborate to complicate matters!
Our first appointment was at the pain clinic, but my GP has ordered fasting bloods (part of my ongoing diet/liver management). I knew we could get the bloods done fast so I skipped breakfast and we drove right past the pathology lab on the way to the pain clinic. It took 15 minutes.
Then on to the pain clinic - arrived on time. The doctor was late as usual, we covered pain issues and especially my bad shoulder. I told him of my recent ultrasound results and the plan to have my shoulder joint injected with cortison (I know I said never again, but this HURTS!). The pain doctor agreed it was worth a try. We got away from the pain clinic with an hour to spare before the next appointment literally just up the road, at oncology. My first "practice run" set-up appointment for radiation treatment. We had got there early and let them know so they could get us in earlier, as promised. But the person on reception missed the point, and didn't call anybody we were supposed to see. So 15 minutes before my appointment, when I had used the long waiting time to go find a kiosk with something, anything to eat (ate a chocolate bar) the research team turned up, asked me if I was able to have fasting bloods taken (at 11 am? With no prior notice?) and then they said, "Maybe next time you could get her earlier and we could do it then."
I pointed out we had arrived an hour early. They were cranky (at the receptionist) at not being called and told us this. But I gave them the contact details for the pathology lab, they can use the same blood results and the one remaining test they want, can be done next time.
So I got seen by the radiology team. Two nurses lay me out on a CT scan bed and measured me up. Why do they always have the air conditioning on in these places, set cold, when you're going to be lying there half naked with no blanket?
After a lot of tedious adjustments here and there with a lot of felt pen drawing all over me, I got my two tattoos. The one under my arm looked big but I barely felt it. The one in the middle of my chest stung, but is tiny. It is also right on top of my one, solitary freckle there. Don't know why they couldn't just use my freckle as a marker... They reckon the tattoos will fade after 5 years, so my tentative plan to get a more obvious tattoo at my five year mark may get shelved.
So all day husband & I have been cracking jokes about "Lydia oh Lydia, Oh have you met Lydia, Lydia the tattooed lady..."
Another quick chat to the research team, filling in forms, letting me know which group of triallists I've been randomly assigned to (I'm to have my medication AFTER the radiology). Then I had to talk to the nurse in charge of radiotherapy skin care. I've got notes to red up on, rules to follow etc. I asked about the advisability of getting extra sun exposure to acclimatise my skin beforehand - she said no. But she's a redhead, of course she would say no because for redheads especially, the official Cancer Council policy says so. But for me, Cancer Council policy is bad.
We left oncology and headed back to our district. By this time it was 12.15 and I had a 12.30 appointment with the ultrasound clinic for my shoulder. We got there only a couple of minutes late, got seen almost immediately. The injection hurt, but the doctor could see on the screen, he hit the spot and the stuff "spread out nicely". The doctor gave me some alcohol swabs and the nurse gave me a wet paper towel which I used to clean off more of the red felt pen from the oncology people. It had been getting on my clothes.
From there we had over an hour before my next appointment (almost next door to radiology) and the mall was across the road. So we headed off to have lunch, then went to check out the new mobile phones we need to upgrade to.
No time left - this phone company takes ages to sort out customer issues, so we left for the neurologist.
Neurologist was late as usual. He also wanted to talk about the shoulder, now feeling rather better. He also agreed I'd made a good call.
From there, we headed back to the mall to talk about phones. We got to the phone shop at about 3.30. Service was bad until I started to make a fuss. We got out of there, with our new phones, at 5.30 pm. I got a lot of knitting done while the business was conducted. Our new phones are lovely, though. husband also took advantage of the waiting time and organised difficult child 3's new phone battery.
Then home to cook dinner with mother in law. We've discovered tat putting on a load of vegetables to roast tastes decadent but is easy to do, as long as we have enough time. Which we did, only just.
And now we're home. My back and shoulder are sore, but I'm looking forward to sleeping better tonight. It's been a full day but productive. On the way out of the mall, husband & I passed by the computer shop so we took a few minutes to check out the current crop of laptops, I need to replace my dead laptop as soon as we can afford it.
So it's time for me to warm up my hot pack again (it's one of my improvised microwaved wet towel in plastic bag ones) then head for bed. difficult child 3 worked well today while home alone, so I've promised him a driving lesson tomorrow. He should have had one today but the phone business kept us away longer than it should have.
And husband did all the driving for me! he's a pet... we got half a dozen important things done, organised into one trip so we don't have to make six trips over who knows how many days or weeks. All the appointments just lucked out and happened to lead from one to the next, all close to one another. Like a string of beads.
I figure I've earned a rest tomorrow. I'm going to set up the crockpot early so dinner takes care of itself.
Marg
Our first appointment was at the pain clinic, but my GP has ordered fasting bloods (part of my ongoing diet/liver management). I knew we could get the bloods done fast so I skipped breakfast and we drove right past the pathology lab on the way to the pain clinic. It took 15 minutes.
Then on to the pain clinic - arrived on time. The doctor was late as usual, we covered pain issues and especially my bad shoulder. I told him of my recent ultrasound results and the plan to have my shoulder joint injected with cortison (I know I said never again, but this HURTS!). The pain doctor agreed it was worth a try. We got away from the pain clinic with an hour to spare before the next appointment literally just up the road, at oncology. My first "practice run" set-up appointment for radiation treatment. We had got there early and let them know so they could get us in earlier, as promised. But the person on reception missed the point, and didn't call anybody we were supposed to see. So 15 minutes before my appointment, when I had used the long waiting time to go find a kiosk with something, anything to eat (ate a chocolate bar) the research team turned up, asked me if I was able to have fasting bloods taken (at 11 am? With no prior notice?) and then they said, "Maybe next time you could get her earlier and we could do it then."
I pointed out we had arrived an hour early. They were cranky (at the receptionist) at not being called and told us this. But I gave them the contact details for the pathology lab, they can use the same blood results and the one remaining test they want, can be done next time.
So I got seen by the radiology team. Two nurses lay me out on a CT scan bed and measured me up. Why do they always have the air conditioning on in these places, set cold, when you're going to be lying there half naked with no blanket?
After a lot of tedious adjustments here and there with a lot of felt pen drawing all over me, I got my two tattoos. The one under my arm looked big but I barely felt it. The one in the middle of my chest stung, but is tiny. It is also right on top of my one, solitary freckle there. Don't know why they couldn't just use my freckle as a marker... They reckon the tattoos will fade after 5 years, so my tentative plan to get a more obvious tattoo at my five year mark may get shelved.
So all day husband & I have been cracking jokes about "Lydia oh Lydia, Oh have you met Lydia, Lydia the tattooed lady..."
Another quick chat to the research team, filling in forms, letting me know which group of triallists I've been randomly assigned to (I'm to have my medication AFTER the radiology). Then I had to talk to the nurse in charge of radiotherapy skin care. I've got notes to red up on, rules to follow etc. I asked about the advisability of getting extra sun exposure to acclimatise my skin beforehand - she said no. But she's a redhead, of course she would say no because for redheads especially, the official Cancer Council policy says so. But for me, Cancer Council policy is bad.
We left oncology and headed back to our district. By this time it was 12.15 and I had a 12.30 appointment with the ultrasound clinic for my shoulder. We got there only a couple of minutes late, got seen almost immediately. The injection hurt, but the doctor could see on the screen, he hit the spot and the stuff "spread out nicely". The doctor gave me some alcohol swabs and the nurse gave me a wet paper towel which I used to clean off more of the red felt pen from the oncology people. It had been getting on my clothes.
From there we had over an hour before my next appointment (almost next door to radiology) and the mall was across the road. So we headed off to have lunch, then went to check out the new mobile phones we need to upgrade to.
No time left - this phone company takes ages to sort out customer issues, so we left for the neurologist.
Neurologist was late as usual. He also wanted to talk about the shoulder, now feeling rather better. He also agreed I'd made a good call.
From there, we headed back to the mall to talk about phones. We got to the phone shop at about 3.30. Service was bad until I started to make a fuss. We got out of there, with our new phones, at 5.30 pm. I got a lot of knitting done while the business was conducted. Our new phones are lovely, though. husband also took advantage of the waiting time and organised difficult child 3's new phone battery.
Then home to cook dinner with mother in law. We've discovered tat putting on a load of vegetables to roast tastes decadent but is easy to do, as long as we have enough time. Which we did, only just.
And now we're home. My back and shoulder are sore, but I'm looking forward to sleeping better tonight. It's been a full day but productive. On the way out of the mall, husband & I passed by the computer shop so we took a few minutes to check out the current crop of laptops, I need to replace my dead laptop as soon as we can afford it.
So it's time for me to warm up my hot pack again (it's one of my improvised microwaved wet towel in plastic bag ones) then head for bed. difficult child 3 worked well today while home alone, so I've promised him a driving lesson tomorrow. He should have had one today but the phone business kept us away longer than it should have.
And husband did all the driving for me! he's a pet... we got half a dozen important things done, organised into one trip so we don't have to make six trips over who knows how many days or weeks. All the appointments just lucked out and happened to lead from one to the next, all close to one another. Like a string of beads.
I figure I've earned a rest tomorrow. I'm going to set up the crockpot early so dinner takes care of itself.
Marg