Today was one of THOSE days! I had to go to Boston for my preop work. I also had the last PET scan for the trial I enrolled in. I worked very hard to make sure that everything would be scheduled for today in a timely manner (my neighbor was driving me in so Steve could work) so I would not have to inconvenience anyone. Anyway, we got to Boston in a very timely manner (45 minutes before my appointment) and for the first time the visit turned into a nightmare! We checked in for the PET scan and had a seat in the waiting room, where we sat until about 5 minutes before my appointment. At this time the receptionist informed me that they were looking for me in the radiology lab so I could have my IV placed. I had been told it would be done in the PET scan area. Anyway, I went to the lab. The technician had no problem drawing the blood (she actually got a great vein) but there was paper work for a new study I have been enrolled in (to create a vaccine from my cancer cells -- very interesting concept) and she had no idea how to handle it. She spent the better part of a half hour on the phone with this person and that person trying to get protocol hammered out. In the meantime, I am sitting in the chair with a tourniquet tightned on my arm. She must have tied and released it six times before placing the IV and getting the blood (7 tubes, I might add) so I could go back to get my scan, an hour late. The scan was a sinch though.
I was now an hour late for the remainder of my appointments for preop. My next trauma came in finding the offices I was supposed to be. I am not used to getting around Brigham & Women's Hospital. Luckily we shared an elevator ride with one of the guides who helped us find where we had to go. We were swept in and out of preoperative counseling and then went for the history and PE and preoperative directions. Here we waited for 2 hours before we were approached and told we would be called soon but that I needed to go for a chest xray "downstairs" and that if I went right away they would get me right in since there was "no one" down there. I scooted off to radiology to find a waiting room of people in need of xray services. :) I was happy. Luckily it only took about 15 minutes to get the films done and we were back upstairs. After about another 15 minute wait we were escorted to a room for H&PE. It was here that I got the BEST news of all. I needed blood work too. I explained I had given 7 tubes of blood at Dana Farber that morning and that it was my understanding that that draw was for my surgical needs. Oh no...they do not require the same tests and I needed to have another draw, which should only be a couple of tubes. Yeah, right! They took another 4 tubes of blood. I am lucky to be standing at this point. Anyway, that is finished and everything looks good to go. Short of being a bit anemic, I survived my Boston ordeal.
Next week is surgery. I will arrive at 8:00 and hopefully things will go much more smoothly. Hubby will be with me. I am not sure whether that will help or not, but I think it will.
Keeping the faith! :~)
Kim
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