To Hell and Back

Yesterday was hell.....I can't say it any better than that.  The ride in the car was horrible, then I had to wait for my blood work....sitting....about 15 minutes.  Then I get in there, and they needed to access my port for the blood draw, and leave it in for a CT scan......back to the continually reacurring need for two forms of ID for my port proving that it is a Power Port.  This fight has been going on since Aug. 3 when they refused to use it because I didnt have two forms of ID for it.  So I went home and had my surgeon send hospital records saying that it was inserted and it was a Smart Port.  This didn't work the next time I was at Mayo, cause it didn't say it was a Power Port.....so I went back home and contacted my doctor again and he then specifically wrote that it was a powerport and also called and talked to one of my doctors personally.  So the next two times they needed to use it, I had no problem, carrying my ID card and the proof now in my files.  But yesterday they just couldn't find that report from Dr. Schlaefer....and I kept insisting that it was there.....well 1/2 hr and 3 nurses later, they finally found it, and printed it out so I could take it with me and my ID card.  So anyhow, by the time I got out of that office it was time to walk a couple blocks to my next test (the CT scan) which was scheduled for 1:20, when I was about 1:50 when they finally called my name, and then they just gave me two bottles of water to down, the second to start drinking at 2:15 which I did.  But then it was about 2:30 before they called me in again....this time they took me back to the area where they put in the IV line, and I told them that it was accessed earlier, and handed the nurse my ID card and paper report telling it was a Power Port, but she had to walk away and didn't come back for 15 minutes to say she guessed it was okay to use it.....and sent me to the next waiting room where it was now going onto 3 p.m. (remember I can't eat before a CTscan, so not only was I starving, but I didn't get my medication like I was supposed to.)  By this time I'm really getting cranky.  Bright spot was a call from Karen saying William did get his card and birthday present from me....even without a zipcode.  I finally got into have the CT scan somewhere around 3:20 (now 2 hrs after the schedule time of arrival)  then they had me lay flat on my back and by now and 2 bottles of water later, I really had to go to the bathroom.  The test took forever or atleast it seemed like forever, and then they finally let me off the table and into the bathroom.  Then they make you wait 20 minutes to make sure you have no reaction to the dye, before they unhook you.  But when they took me back to the room where they unhook you, no one was there that could unhook a port.....so I sat and stood and sat for another 15 minutes before I began to complain that I needed to get out of there. Finally a nurse came in on the night shift and she took her good time to finally come and unhook me.  Now starving and in pain Janet finally got to drive us to the motel, where I took my tylenol and laid down on my side.  Janet then left me to rest while she went in search of food.  She was able to find a Panera and brought me back some soup and 1/2 turkey sandwich.  I didn't get off the bed for the rest of the evening, only for the bathroom.  Was so tired at 10 and the prospect of getting up at 6 a.m. I thought I would really sleep.....wrong!!! I tossed and turned and had restless leg cyndrom nearlly all night.  I think I slept a few hours between 4 and 6 a.m. and then had to come back to Mayo for a 7:45 appointment with Dr. Sideras my oncologist.  Well you can bet that didn't happen.  We got called into the room about 8 a.m. and at 8:40 he finally showed up, and I was his first appointment of the day.....I wonder how far behind he is now?  Now Janet and I are going back to the hotel to rest and then I am back here at 1 p.m. to see Dr. Nelson the surgeon.  Till tomorrow, love and prayers, m