I don't know what to call this post.
Not good?
Fear?
Uncertain about everything?

Traveled to Edmonton yesterday for two appointments. One with an Internist and another with a plastic surgeon.

The roads were nice and dry this time so that made travelling pretty good, and that is probably the last bit of good news for this post.

1430 appointment with an Internist:

Because of all the symptoms she is currently having, like the shortness of breath that really hasn't gone away the internist has ordered a stress test, an MIBI, which I called for how many weeks ago?

We left the office and I said we should call Red Deer right away to get an appointment. So we went down the hallway into an area that WAS quiet. Seriously, as soon as Mom hit call 10 people showed up in the area and one kid starts crying and pouting then sits down on the floor and has a fit. Murphy's Law in effect there.

Red Deer informed Mom that they could not do the test because they need the local internist to requisition it.

How is that for a form of bureaucratic bullshit!

We went back to the internist's office and told the Secretary and she said she would see what she can do. She also informed Mom that she would probably want it in Red Deer because the test takes TWO DAYS. Mom gave her a name of a local internist who could possibly take the referral. She only knows... hmmm all of them? Well ok not all of them anymore but a lot of them. Hopefully that will come through. If not it means we have to travel up to Edmonton for two days within the next two weeks (just for that). I just fall more in love with Red Deer everyday. While I can understand facility permissions, if someone has a req from a Doctor (specifically an Internist) in the Alberta Medical Association it would make sense to me to just eat the req and supply the service. It's just such a good thing that the Goverenment of Alberta DEREGIONALIZED A PROVINCE and formed a "UNIFIED" ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES. #1086swearwordshere. Go Stelmach! (sarcasm!!)


Plastics 1630:

The second appointment of the day was with a plastic surgeon.
This began at 1630 and ended at 1800.

Surgery is going to be very invasive so invasive I am choosing not to lay it out for you here.






It will take 9 hours.




And she won't even get a new boob out of it.





And they expect her to be in hospital for 10 days.


:(

worried.


The main Dr. wants to do the surgery before Christmas. At this point it is looking like Dec. 14. I wonder if they aren't moving too quickly. Are they going to do it without all the tests complete?

- She needs the stress test to evaluate her shortness of breath.
- She needs an angiogram so the surgeon can have a better look at the veins under her left arm.
- The hospital will probably want her to come to PreAdmission Clinic - unless they will do it by phone.
- She needs a type and cross.
- She needs her family doc to fill out some papers.
- She needs a CBC.

While I find the speed at which they want to proceed, kind; I question the rate at which it is occurring. Oh, and she should avoid, you know, getting the flu.

I keep hearing Dr. Graham say: The cancer has taken this long to grow we need to deal with the gut right now. (when she was in hospital with her abdominal problems) He's right you know, the cancer has been going on for quite awhile now, it didn't grow overnight. Would waiting until the new year be so bad?




Merry bleepin Christmas to us.