Fan-TASTIC
Aug. 15th, 2005 07:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annathepiperSo just before dinner, I got called by a perky-voiced young woman working for Swedish Hospital who wanted to confirm assorted things in their database about me and to ask me if I could come in for a pre-op appointment and a blood draw.
"Wait a minute," I said, "I just went to the Polyclinic TODAY for a blood draw. Why do you guys need to do a blood draw on me too?"
(For those of you who are not local to Seattle, the Polyclinic is a medical facility right near Swedish Hospital. It's called what it is because dozens of doctors of various disciplines have offices in one huge clinic. My surgeon, Dr. Stickney, actually borrows the surgical facilities at nearby Swedish Hospital because they're bigger and better-stocked and such.)
The perky-voiced young woman did not give me an adequate answer to this question, saying only that the doctors apparently perform "different tests". Also, they didn't pull this on me last year, and I pointed this out, and asked what was up with that. It seems that Swedish has changed its procedures in the last 3-4 months, such that they are trying to reduce the amount of waiting time on the days of actual patient procedures. The idea here is supposed to be that I show up on this earlier day, they do blood work, have me talk to the nurse/anesthesiologist/whoever else, so that on the actual surgery day all I have to do is show up, get prepped, and go right onto the table.
Meh. Yeah, okay, fine. Looks like I leave work early on Friday, too. Ordinarily I would be pleased by an opportunity to leave work early, but this is just... annoying. It feels redundant, and I didn't think to properly ask why the heck they couldn't just contact the lab at the Polyclinic, who already has my blood, and ask them to do whatever tests they need on it. I'm not quick enough on my feet thinking of this kind of thing, especially not when I'm all "AAAAAH SURGERY" in the first place.
And this kind of thing is in no small part WHY I get all wiggy about the surgery. The procedure itself, not so annoying. It's all the paperwork and bills and such that brings in all the vexation.
"Wait a minute," I said, "I just went to the Polyclinic TODAY for a blood draw. Why do you guys need to do a blood draw on me too?"
(For those of you who are not local to Seattle, the Polyclinic is a medical facility right near Swedish Hospital. It's called what it is because dozens of doctors of various disciplines have offices in one huge clinic. My surgeon, Dr. Stickney, actually borrows the surgical facilities at nearby Swedish Hospital because they're bigger and better-stocked and such.)
The perky-voiced young woman did not give me an adequate answer to this question, saying only that the doctors apparently perform "different tests". Also, they didn't pull this on me last year, and I pointed this out, and asked what was up with that. It seems that Swedish has changed its procedures in the last 3-4 months, such that they are trying to reduce the amount of waiting time on the days of actual patient procedures. The idea here is supposed to be that I show up on this earlier day, they do blood work, have me talk to the nurse/anesthesiologist/whoever else, so that on the actual surgery day all I have to do is show up, get prepped, and go right onto the table.
Meh. Yeah, okay, fine. Looks like I leave work early on Friday, too. Ordinarily I would be pleased by an opportunity to leave work early, but this is just... annoying. It feels redundant, and I didn't think to properly ask why the heck they couldn't just contact the lab at the Polyclinic, who already has my blood, and ask them to do whatever tests they need on it. I'm not quick enough on my feet thinking of this kind of thing, especially not when I'm all "AAAAAH SURGERY" in the first place.
And this kind of thing is in no small part WHY I get all wiggy about the surgery. The procedure itself, not so annoying. It's all the paperwork and bills and such that brings in all the vexation.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 06:16 pm (UTC)Stay strong and godspeed
RC
no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 06:24 pm (UTC)Yeah, I have to have thyroid surgery. This is actually my second round of it; the first round was last summer. The short form is, my thyroid's making big lumps that might turn into cancer if they go unchecked, so my doctor's all "um, let's have that out then". Rah.
Aside from that, doing software contract work and writing like mad on my second novel while I wait for word from a publisher as to whether they want my FIRST novel. The writing part's way better than the surgery, I can tell you. :)
What's life like in your neck of the woods these days?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 08:19 pm (UTC)Rob is doing the dad thing and workin' at Cingular, still, here in Redmond - project management stuff. The crumbsnatchers are keeping me busy. Emma is 3 1/2 and Olivia (not sure I've communicated with you since her blesses arrival) just turned 1 in June. So Rob is outnumbered at home (and loving it of course). To help keep your mood cheery pre-surgery, I've attached a hotlink to view my lovely ladies -
http://www.geocities.com/rcimino/SlewGirls.html
Today's words of wisdom (not impying that I am wise of course):
"When fate shuts the door, come in through the window"
RC
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 04:20 pm (UTC)I was unaware of you having two kids, yeah! I remember the first one being on the way, but not the second. Congrats on that, and on continued employment. :) Your little girls are total cuties, too!