Greetings. We are under the threat of a larger snow storm, and it began snowing right when Lew took me out for a really nice dinner. Yummy, and we are both so full of salmon and shrimp, and all the extras at Bonefish. Our day was filled with pre-op stuff, and I will tell you this — it seems a bramble bush trying to walk through with any grace.
I spoke with the Rose Hospital nurse, conveniently named Rose, who should be working for the IRS — wow, I’m thoroughly known by one and all. That took about an hour or more, interrupted by the phone calls from the radiologist/mammogram/placement-of-the-device-people who were scheduled for Wednesday, and wanted me in today asap in case of the storm being a bad one. Super –- so a note: Some pieces of the puzzle finally came together, I think, in time for the in-person visit.
The nurse navigator — the poor one –- is an employee of Sarah Cannon Services, named after their benefactor Minnie Pearl (whose real name was Sarah Cannon). I was shocked to find out that she doesn’t work for the surgeon for whom she navigates, but maybe that explains the disconnects of time and information.
I had a pre-op with the surgeon’s Physicians Assistant, (PPA) a young woman who spoke to me like an old-fashioned waitress, “all honey, and girly.” She gave me papers to sign, and instructions, and assured me that they /she would handle our ongoing future relationship. (Years!)
Their company is called Breast Cancer Care, although she works with them, but not for them. They are a part of an umbrella called Health One. It’s amazing, right? Two different companies and I haven’t made it to the hospital yet.
We then went around the block to the Medical Annex to Rose Hospital to see the radiologist/mammogram/placement-of-the-device-people, who work a third company called Solis Mammography, a different corporation which also needs its own paperwork, registration, ID, proof of everything, and then consent forms; this time after the paper was signed, they did the approvals on a tablet. (very progressive, since it is maybe 20 different signatures.) They implanted a marker the size of a rice kernel so that the surgeon could find her way to the anointed spot easily. They even sent me home with a marker to be sure that ‘X’marks the spot! They are under the umbrella of Health One.
The procedure was to take 5 minutes, although it took maybe 90 seconds, what with the four accompanying mammograms to verify pre and post ‘stuff’, and accompanying paperwork, again, even in the radiology room –- I had to prove I was me, and that I knew when I was born, and what we were doing –- we were there for an hour and a half. The radiologist was a tiny little competent woman of maybe 30, who was so small I couldn’t see her over the table draping when she came in. Apparently, I will see them in my future as well.
With that, the Wednesday snowstorm is no longer my threat — the surgery is scheduled for us at an ungodly 5:30 AM check-in Thursday at the Rose Medical Hospital. Yet another corporation. I have to be there early to do what ??? (If you guessed paperwork, you win the Datsun!) The doctors will start fresh as daisies, and I like knowing that.
When all this is finished on Thursday, as an outpatient, I will come home to recover. I am told no driving, no swinging of my arms, no exertion, housework, or excitement. No paperwork either! I will probably just sleep and read for the weekend. All manner of events are happening over this weekend, and being so idle is sad because I really want to go and be a part of it. I have one event I can’t give up, but otherwise, I may have to wait quietly on the sidelines (for a few days…).
Oncology is to be supervised through another facility, and will begin sometime after this is healed, I think. They haven’t told me about timeframes yet. It all depends on whether the surgeon finds what she expects to find, then they make their best estimate as to the particular jumble of toxic dumping that will occur. Due to the excellent nurse navigator in Boulder. I am moving my medical/radiological/oncology care back in Boulder after surgery.
One thing I may have learned. It probably is better for communication to keep your care at one facility so that papers, information and all, flow better between the many parts of the team. This hasn’t felt like a team- more like wrestling an octopus. But what did I know from previous experience? Nothing! That’s why I’m telling you. Pay attention.
I hope to see you all soon, and especially thank you for your prayers, love and support. It brings me to tears to be so often thought of. Thank you.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo SWAK
Judy Lavezzi