the one with the *headdesks*
~*~
It’s been one of those days. Chemo day for my uncle. Three times, I asked the nursing home to have a wheelchair and full tank of oxygen ready when I picked him up this morning. I even called them at 9 am to remind them. I arrived at 10 am and they finally had a wheelchair/oxygen tank ready to go at 10:40 am. *headdesk* Of course, his doctor’s appointment was at 11 am and it takes 45 minutes to make the trip. That’s okay though because the doctor doesn’t even come in until 2 pm. His office knew this and still made my uncle’s appointment for 11 am. *headdesk*
Halfway there, after my uncle’s complaining he couldn't breathe, I check to discover the damn tank is empty. *headdesk* So, I hurry to get him to the doctor’s office to get him hooked up on their oxygen. It takes them thirty minutes to do so. *headdesk*
I probably should note that my uncle is experiencing severe hearing loss (attributed to the radiation to the brain) so miscommunication is the norm right now. Some frustratingly, befuddled conversations for both of us. I know I told him 8 times he was there for chemo. Not all miscommunication is due to the hearing loss though. The brain tumors have affected his memory, personality, and behavior. He will repeat something I said (so I know he heard me) but then ask the same question thirty minutes later. So sad.
Lab work was finally done at 2 pm, we get 2 whole minutes with the doctor, and get the chemo orders. I get my uncle back into the car, drive him to the cancer clinic, and he’s ready for his chemo at 3:15 pm. He’s a bit dehydrated but they finally get an IV in but they then receive an order from the doctor’s office to also draw blood for a BMP. They try sticking him for 30 minutes but can’t draw blood. They call the doctor’s office wanting to know why they hadn’t done that test themselves when they had drawn 3 vials of blood at 2 pm. The lab at the doctor’s office looked at his chart and discovered, “Oh yeah, we did do that one; Never mind.” *headdesk* An order for the medicine was put in with the pharmacy at 3:30 pm but it took two hours because they had to wait for some lab reports. Of course if the doctor’s office had done the lab work earlier in the day while we were just sitting there for 2-1/2 hours, and not waited until 2 pm, this delay could have been avoided. *headdesk*
The medicine finally arrived and his chemo treatment began at 5:30 pm. The length of his chemo treatments? Five hours. *headesk*
My dad went by the nursing home to pick up another tank of oxygen for my uncle and drove the 45 minutes to bring it to us for the return trip. My dad very kindly told me to go home. I’ve got a sinus infection and my head was, and is, killing me. I’m on antibiotics for it but the sinus pressure won’t ease up at all. My dad said he would stay and bring my uncle back.
My uncle’s return time to the nursing home? 11:15 pm *headdesk*
Today I talked to each one of those offices/businesses/depts. trying to make sure these problems don't happen again. m'kay. *rubs temples*
It’s been one of those days. Chemo day for my uncle. Three times, I asked the nursing home to have a wheelchair and full tank of oxygen ready when I picked him up this morning. I even called them at 9 am to remind them. I arrived at 10 am and they finally had a wheelchair/oxygen tank ready to go at 10:40 am. *headdesk* Of course, his doctor’s appointment was at 11 am and it takes 45 minutes to make the trip. That’s okay though because the doctor doesn’t even come in until 2 pm. His office knew this and still made my uncle’s appointment for 11 am. *headdesk*
Halfway there, after my uncle’s complaining he couldn't breathe, I check to discover the damn tank is empty. *headdesk* So, I hurry to get him to the doctor’s office to get him hooked up on their oxygen. It takes them thirty minutes to do so. *headdesk*
I probably should note that my uncle is experiencing severe hearing loss (attributed to the radiation to the brain) so miscommunication is the norm right now. Some frustratingly, befuddled conversations for both of us. I know I told him 8 times he was there for chemo. Not all miscommunication is due to the hearing loss though. The brain tumors have affected his memory, personality, and behavior. He will repeat something I said (so I know he heard me) but then ask the same question thirty minutes later. So sad.
Lab work was finally done at 2 pm, we get 2 whole minutes with the doctor, and get the chemo orders. I get my uncle back into the car, drive him to the cancer clinic, and he’s ready for his chemo at 3:15 pm. He’s a bit dehydrated but they finally get an IV in but they then receive an order from the doctor’s office to also draw blood for a BMP. They try sticking him for 30 minutes but can’t draw blood. They call the doctor’s office wanting to know why they hadn’t done that test themselves when they had drawn 3 vials of blood at 2 pm. The lab at the doctor’s office looked at his chart and discovered, “Oh yeah, we did do that one; Never mind.” *headdesk* An order for the medicine was put in with the pharmacy at 3:30 pm but it took two hours because they had to wait for some lab reports. Of course if the doctor’s office had done the lab work earlier in the day while we were just sitting there for 2-1/2 hours, and not waited until 2 pm, this delay could have been avoided. *headdesk*
The medicine finally arrived and his chemo treatment began at 5:30 pm. The length of his chemo treatments? Five hours. *headesk*
My dad went by the nursing home to pick up another tank of oxygen for my uncle and drove the 45 minutes to bring it to us for the return trip. My dad very kindly told me to go home. I’ve got a sinus infection and my head was, and is, killing me. I’m on antibiotics for it but the sinus pressure won’t ease up at all. My dad said he would stay and bring my uncle back.
My uncle’s return time to the nursing home? 11:15 pm *headdesk*
Today I talked to each one of those offices/businesses/depts. trying to make sure these problems don't happen again. m'kay. *rubs temples*