Fingers crossed... Updated 020818 6:00pm
February 6, 2018 10:00 pm Back to In the Beginning
Been a week and a half since I saw the oncologist. He ordered a few referrals, one to the urologist to have my nephrostomy checked to see if the kidney is draining through normal channels. Turned out after seeing the urologist that he in turn, had to refer me to the intervention radiologist. So that actually progressed quickly and I'm going in this week - Thursday to Summerlin Hospital to run some dye through and hopefully if it's draining okay, have this @#$#@!%^ nephrostomy removed. Every wrong move is a stab in the side. Picture the scene from "Inglorious Basterds" where Brad Pitt sticks his finger into the bullet hole in the actress's leg. That's about what it feels like.
Another referral was for a pet scan. I called twice last week and again today only to find out someone forgot to file the referral with the insurance company. I have my doubts that I will be able to get it scheduled now before the appointment next Wednesday with the oncologist. That means he will likely have another chemo treatment applied, since he won't know the change in progression.
The last referral was for his in-house radiologist. That one went through and I'm also slated to get sized up by her next Wednesday for anywhere from 10-15 treatments over 2-3 weeks. Dr. V. said they only do radiation on weekdays because cancer doesn't grow on the weekends. Funny guy.
I spoke to the genetic lab and they at least assured me that I wouldn't be anything out of pocket for the tests. They would take the 50% that the insurance pays since they are out of network.
I also had Dr. V's office submit FMLA paperwork. They sent it in the same day I gave it to them. I got a cryptic note from my HR department that made it sound like the vendor for FMLA never got it. I had Dr. V's office send it again, but I think after reading the email a few more times, that they FMLA company had it and was still ruminating over it.
February 8, 2018 6:00pm
Well so much for crossed fingers and prayers, science and nature be science and nature and all the wishing isn't going to change it. Should have titled this "wishful thinking". Ureter is still blocked, so all they did was change out the tube for a new one. Even if the ureter wasn't blocked they weren't going to take out the tube in case it was needed before the kidney is removed. So much for what the oncologist wanted too. At least it has been fixed so it's not stabbing me in the side.
Turned out it took the FMLA company a week and a half to figure out they didn't get all the pages in the fax..not even the first or last three pages. And the pages were numbered on the originals. Maybe if they didn't use a 1960s communication mechanism they would have gotten them all. When the heck is fax going to die?!! Got Dr V's office to resend all seven pages.
Supposedly the imaging lab - SDMI - got the order yesterday for the Pet-CT scan; they should call tomorrow for an appointment. Highly unlikely an appointment will happen before Wednesday. They don't like to keep these $7 million machines unbooked. I bet the maintenance and tuning is a fortune too. Last time I got lucky there was a cancellation and I got in two days before my first treatment, and two days after the call from SDMI.
Was starving for lunch. We actually have a local 4 store chain (Rocco's) that makes authentic NY pizza. Scarfed down 6 slices for lunch. The crust is thin, but doughy on the edges, sauce is sweet and the cheese is fresh and real mozzerella. They also sell spumoni, gelato, their own dinners, sauces and pastas frozen to take home. All sorts of imported Italian canned goods and packaged pastas. They sold one of the stores (on Aliante) and immediately the pizza there went to crap.
Next: Doing the dance
Been a week and a half since I saw the oncologist. He ordered a few referrals, one to the urologist to have my nephrostomy checked to see if the kidney is draining through normal channels. Turned out after seeing the urologist that he in turn, had to refer me to the intervention radiologist. So that actually progressed quickly and I'm going in this week - Thursday to Summerlin Hospital to run some dye through and hopefully if it's draining okay, have this @#$#@!%^ nephrostomy removed. Every wrong move is a stab in the side. Picture the scene from "Inglorious Basterds" where Brad Pitt sticks his finger into the bullet hole in the actress's leg. That's about what it feels like.
Another referral was for a pet scan. I called twice last week and again today only to find out someone forgot to file the referral with the insurance company. I have my doubts that I will be able to get it scheduled now before the appointment next Wednesday with the oncologist. That means he will likely have another chemo treatment applied, since he won't know the change in progression.
The last referral was for his in-house radiologist. That one went through and I'm also slated to get sized up by her next Wednesday for anywhere from 10-15 treatments over 2-3 weeks. Dr. V. said they only do radiation on weekdays because cancer doesn't grow on the weekends. Funny guy.
I spoke to the genetic lab and they at least assured me that I wouldn't be anything out of pocket for the tests. They would take the 50% that the insurance pays since they are out of network.
I also had Dr. V's office submit FMLA paperwork. They sent it in the same day I gave it to them. I got a cryptic note from my HR department that made it sound like the vendor for FMLA never got it. I had Dr. V's office send it again, but I think after reading the email a few more times, that they FMLA company had it and was still ruminating over it.
February 8, 2018 6:00pm
Well so much for crossed fingers and prayers, science and nature be science and nature and all the wishing isn't going to change it. Should have titled this "wishful thinking". Ureter is still blocked, so all they did was change out the tube for a new one. Even if the ureter wasn't blocked they weren't going to take out the tube in case it was needed before the kidney is removed. So much for what the oncologist wanted too. At least it has been fixed so it's not stabbing me in the side.
Turned out it took the FMLA company a week and a half to figure out they didn't get all the pages in the fax..not even the first or last three pages. And the pages were numbered on the originals. Maybe if they didn't use a 1960s communication mechanism they would have gotten them all. When the heck is fax going to die?!! Got Dr V's office to resend all seven pages.
Supposedly the imaging lab - SDMI - got the order yesterday for the Pet-CT scan; they should call tomorrow for an appointment. Highly unlikely an appointment will happen before Wednesday. They don't like to keep these $7 million machines unbooked. I bet the maintenance and tuning is a fortune too. Last time I got lucky there was a cancellation and I got in two days before my first treatment, and two days after the call from SDMI.
Was starving for lunch. We actually have a local 4 store chain (Rocco's) that makes authentic NY pizza. Scarfed down 6 slices for lunch. The crust is thin, but doughy on the edges, sauce is sweet and the cheese is fresh and real mozzerella. They also sell spumoni, gelato, their own dinners, sauces and pastas frozen to take home. All sorts of imported Italian canned goods and packaged pastas. They sold one of the stores (on Aliante) and immediately the pizza there went to crap.
Next: Doing the dance
