Yesterday we used the valet parking at MD Anderson so we could get a wheelchair right at the door. He's been pretty sick with this round of chemo. He was taken quickly for the blood work and then we made our way upstairs for another lab appointment at 9:00 AM in the Lymphoma Clinic. While he was checking in at the desk his cell phone rang and it was the lab downstairs. They made an error and needed one more vial of blood. So, we made our way back down there for another draw and then returned to the Lymphoma Clinic to wait. We waited for an hour and a half and all Reid wanted to do was lay down and try to get comfortable. I went up to the desk a couple of times and finally asked if I could leave my cell phone number and take him downstairs where they have an area where patients can lay down and sleep between appointments. The lady at the desk said she'd send the nurse out to speak with us.
The nurse came out and told us that they had combined the two labs and he didn't need to be in the Lymphoma Clinic at 9:00. He just needed to be there for his Fast Track appointment at 2:00. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. We had a printed copy of the schedule and I showed it to her. We had waited an hour and a half. If things had changed and he didn't need to be there why didn't someone come out and tell us? Would they have left us waiting there until 2:00? If he had felt OK it would have been one thing, but he was very sick. In fact, he rolled the wheelchair into the men's room at one point because he didn't feel well and after about ten minutes I become very concerned, but I couldn't exactly go in after him. I got up to stand by the men's room door in hopes a man would come by and I could send him in to check, but fortunately Reid came out a short while later.
I was so upset and the nurse apologized. She asked for my cell phone number and told me to take him downstairs to the area where he could lay down and she'd call if they could squeeze him in before 2:00. A short while later she called and he was seen by the Physician's Assistant. All his blood work looked good, but he has to drink more which is difficult with his stomach upset. She changed the nausea medication and had him increase the anti fungal medication and gave him a prescription for a mouth rinse since he's already developed mouth sores from the chemo.
I took him back to the area where he could lay down and went up to the pharmacy to wait for his prescriptions to be filled. He was able to sleep for an hour or so while I waited. I guess we got home around 2:30 PM.
The good news is that he hasn't taken any pain medication since leaving the hospital on Sunday. I didn't even realize right away, but he told me he doesn't need it. That means the mass must have already shrunk. He's using his left arm and thinks he'll be able to type now on the computer. That's pretty amazing since he was requiring some pretty strong pain meds just to get the pain to a manageable level.
We're having some computer problems, so don't be surprised if I don't post for a while or answer E-mails. Hopefully, we can get it fixed soon.
I am so sorry! I know that the waiting is so darn tough! When you don't feel good it is just so hard. Tell him that the whole idea of rinsing with saline (salt) water really works. I started doing it all the time during my ICE treatments before my transplant. I would rinse every single time I got up to go to the bathroom. That turned out to be many many times a day. I didn't get any sores till during the transplant and even then, none were in my mouth. I got some in my throat but mild ones. I consider myself lucky (and so did all the docs and nurses) but I really think that doing the rinse so much was in my favor. You can even make it at home.
ReplyDeleteHi Betty,
ReplyDeleteSometimes hospitals are the coldest places to be. You would think in this day and age a hospital would truely be a place to take care of the patient. It is too much like a business now a days. My prayers are with you and your son. I am always thinking of you.
hugs,
Carey
Good grief, Betty, I am so sorry that Reid feels so sick. And spending all that time waiting. When do you have to go back? How do people do this who are all alone or who have families where everybody works?
ReplyDeleteIt is unconscionable that he had to wait so long! Hospitals are the worst places for acquiring infections and illnesses of every stripe.
ReplyDeleteHoping and praying the mass has shrunk and no pain....
ReplyDeleteThoughts and prayers continue for Reid and your family.
Hugs,