Chemo teaching 5/25/16
Me and mom got in the truck and headed back to the medical center. I was half with it but kinda running on adrenaline or more like stress. I didn't want to be late and the truck was on empty and it was raining here and there throughout the day and I didn't want to get stuck in traffic. Of course we had to stop for gas and that made us a few minutes late. I get to my appt office and there was a line of at least 5 deep and the two people checking in just so happen to be having issues with the patients they were checking in. It felt like everyone in line were shifting their weight and looking over the person in front of them to see what the hold up was at the front desk. People were getting antsy. Mom walks in from parking the truck and I tell her the lines not moving, i'm 10 minutes late now. I don't have any reception on my phone and I can't even call them to tell them I'm here. I then make the decision to just walk back to my doctors area and tell them that I'm here for my teaching but I couldn't check in cause their having issues with two difficult patients. She basically says I need to go back and wait in line cause they need to check me in and the teaching is done in another area of the clinic but that she would call them and let them know. So, there I go back to the lobby to wait in line. Luckily the line was moving like normal. But now I'm 15 minutes late. That office runs a pretty tight ship when it comes to your appointment time and checking in. They really appreciate a call if you're more than 5 minutes late. We get sent back and I end up waiting to be called for at least 15 minutes. So, i'm not sure if they took a patient ahead of me cause I was late or if they were just making me wait for being late. It wasn't busy from what I could tell. Anyhow, Lynette finally calls me back. Nice lady, nice smile nice business casual attire. Probably in her 50's, black and silver twisted hair which kinda remind me of dreadlocks. She had an accent but not sure from where. Sounds like an island accent. Trinidad maybe? Anyhow, me and mom sit down and she asks me how much I know. I'm confused and say what do you mean? I'm here for a teaching for the Chemo I'm going to get in two days. So, she continues with, you know you have cancer and it's spread to other areas. I'm frustrated with her but I don't want to be rude. I say yes. I give her the rundown. I have breast cancer, it's spread to numerous lymph nodes in my neck & chest, liver and spine. I had emergency spinal surgery, I've had 10 days of radiation on my spine. I have at least two types of beast cancer cells one of which is very aggressive. My doctor had a treatment plan of 2 - 3 chemo drugs to combat my specific cancer.
She looks at her monitor and the papers that are scattered on the desk. She grabs the papers and as she speaks she's putting them in some sort of order. She says, ok, so you pretty much know everything. Your doctor ordered 3 types of medication. She went on to tell me the names of each one and what each one's benefits are. She had already printed out the description of each medication, stapled each medication separately, and even hilighted some "key points".
She definitely confused me. At times she was a scatter-brain and at other times she seemed "normal". She handed me a notebook with your typical cancer questions & answers, explaining what cancer is and how to cope etc. She handed me the printouts of my chemotherapy concoction which got put in that folder. She said we were now going to the pharmacy to get my pre-meds that I need to take the night and morning of chemo. She would also take me to the area where the chemo would be administered. Mom takes the folder and we follow her.
Down 3 1/2 hallways and we are at the pharmacy. Lynette introduces me thru the hole in the plexiglass and hands over my prescription. I look at my mom and whisper to her that jennifer stayed with my wallet from my surgery earlier that morning. The pharmacist Esther looks at me and asks to see my insurance card and ID. I apologize and tell her I didn't have it with me, that I had surgery on the 2nd floor for my mediport and my sister stayed with my wallet. (Mind you, I see my oncologist here, I do my labs here, I did my CT here, and I did my spinal radiation here, all on the same floor under the same group.) I said that my doctor down the hall should have a copy of it and I can go get it. She is obviously frustrated with me and says something along the lines of always having your cards with you. I apologized and said my doctor should have it. She proceeded to say that my doctor wouldn't have it. I said, no they do, i'm sure they do, do you want me to go get a copy? She said AGAIN, they don't have it. I was confused and she said The Front Desk Made A Copy NOT Your Doctor. At this point I knew she was just being difficult now. My mom then said, "can my daughter fax it to you, She works down the street? Then I said to my mom, "No mom, she wants ME to walk to the front desk, get a copy and walk it back to her." I looked at Esther and said Right? Is that what you want me to do? She was flustered flipping papers on her desk then clicking on the mouse, then tapping on the keyboard looked at me and asked what my name and date of birth. I told her and she said take a seat, let me see what I can do it might take 15 to 20 minutes. Me and mom took a seat and I could hear her on the phone with who I'm assuming is the front desk asking them to send it to her. I look over and the little printer/copier on her desk goes off, she pulls the sheet out and says "yeah, I got it, thanks" and hangs up the phone. And I think to myself, how hard was that? Yes, I know I should've had my cards with me but why make things so difficult? Why?
Lynette calls me and mom to show us the room where they do chemo. It was the next door over from the pharmacy. I got a quick glimpse earlier but got distracted with the pharmacy ordeal. You could pretty much see what was going on because there were two huge windows on either side of the entrance. The furthest half of the room was filled with recliners, each recliner had a steel pole on wheels to hook up your medication. There were 4 sections to sit in. When you first enter there is a check in desk and then an area with seats for your family and friends. Big windows to see outside if you want.
The pharmacist called my name, my meds were ready. We collected and paid. There was 1 med that I need to take 12hrs prior and then 6hrs prior to my chemo injection. The other 2 meds were for nausea. We were done for the day and ready to get home. I had a loooong day with mediport Surgery and the teaching. I was ready to plop on my recliner for the rest of the day. When we got home I was actually able to swallow down some spaghetti noodles! Not much but hey it's better than broth. I could tell that my swallowing throughout the day was feeling better and I was sounding better than the day before. I guess it was about 6 to 8 ounces but that was enough. I sat down and relaxed the rest of the day.
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She looks at her monitor and the papers that are scattered on the desk. She grabs the papers and as she speaks she's putting them in some sort of order. She says, ok, so you pretty much know everything. Your doctor ordered 3 types of medication. She went on to tell me the names of each one and what each one's benefits are. She had already printed out the description of each medication, stapled each medication separately, and even hilighted some "key points".
She definitely confused me. At times she was a scatter-brain and at other times she seemed "normal". She handed me a notebook with your typical cancer questions & answers, explaining what cancer is and how to cope etc. She handed me the printouts of my chemotherapy concoction which got put in that folder. She said we were now going to the pharmacy to get my pre-meds that I need to take the night and morning of chemo. She would also take me to the area where the chemo would be administered. Mom takes the folder and we follow her.
Down 3 1/2 hallways and we are at the pharmacy. Lynette introduces me thru the hole in the plexiglass and hands over my prescription. I look at my mom and whisper to her that jennifer stayed with my wallet from my surgery earlier that morning. The pharmacist Esther looks at me and asks to see my insurance card and ID. I apologize and tell her I didn't have it with me, that I had surgery on the 2nd floor for my mediport and my sister stayed with my wallet. (Mind you, I see my oncologist here, I do my labs here, I did my CT here, and I did my spinal radiation here, all on the same floor under the same group.) I said that my doctor down the hall should have a copy of it and I can go get it. She is obviously frustrated with me and says something along the lines of always having your cards with you. I apologized and said my doctor should have it. She proceeded to say that my doctor wouldn't have it. I said, no they do, i'm sure they do, do you want me to go get a copy? She said AGAIN, they don't have it. I was confused and she said The Front Desk Made A Copy NOT Your Doctor. At this point I knew she was just being difficult now. My mom then said, "can my daughter fax it to you, She works down the street? Then I said to my mom, "No mom, she wants ME to walk to the front desk, get a copy and walk it back to her." I looked at Esther and said Right? Is that what you want me to do? She was flustered flipping papers on her desk then clicking on the mouse, then tapping on the keyboard looked at me and asked what my name and date of birth. I told her and she said take a seat, let me see what I can do it might take 15 to 20 minutes. Me and mom took a seat and I could hear her on the phone with who I'm assuming is the front desk asking them to send it to her. I look over and the little printer/copier on her desk goes off, she pulls the sheet out and says "yeah, I got it, thanks" and hangs up the phone. And I think to myself, how hard was that? Yes, I know I should've had my cards with me but why make things so difficult? Why?
Lynette calls me and mom to show us the room where they do chemo. It was the next door over from the pharmacy. I got a quick glimpse earlier but got distracted with the pharmacy ordeal. You could pretty much see what was going on because there were two huge windows on either side of the entrance. The furthest half of the room was filled with recliners, each recliner had a steel pole on wheels to hook up your medication. There were 4 sections to sit in. When you first enter there is a check in desk and then an area with seats for your family and friends. Big windows to see outside if you want.
The pharmacist called my name, my meds were ready. We collected and paid. There was 1 med that I need to take 12hrs prior and then 6hrs prior to my chemo injection. The other 2 meds were for nausea. We were done for the day and ready to get home. I had a loooong day with mediport Surgery and the teaching. I was ready to plop on my recliner for the rest of the day. When we got home I was actually able to swallow down some spaghetti noodles! Not much but hey it's better than broth. I could tell that my swallowing throughout the day was feeling better and I was sounding better than the day before. I guess it was about 6 to 8 ounces but that was enough. I sat down and relaxed the rest of the day.
#TeamSweetJean Fundraiser
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ReplyDeleteSorry you had such a bad experience with those idiots :( they are the ones that should undergo some sort of teaching. I seriously believe ppl who will be in contact with highly sensitive pt cases should be required to take a sensitivity and understanding class. XOXO
ReplyDeletefeel better soon friend we miss u ❤