I had initially been set to start my chemo last Wednesday. In looking at my work calendar Wednesday's weren't really going to work out so I asked to have it rescheduled. I couldn't do it on Monday the 10th because I had an MRI and doing both of those things in the same day was not recommended. I think not from a physical perspective, but from an emotional and mental perspective.
So I'll be starting on Monday the 17th instead. This actually ended up working out well, because on Sunday I went to the Urgent Care to have a concerning wound on the back of my leg looked at. Turns out that it was infected, and a possible hematoma. I was given a prescription for an antibiotic and asked to have an Ultrasound of the wound done the next day.
Hoorah! Two imaging procedures in the same day
I went and had the Ultrasound done. It was quick and easy, which was nice. Later that day while I was waiting for my MRI an Urgent Care doctor called me and said they got the results and that they wanted me to come back so they could take a look at it, which I agreed to do.
The MRI this time didn't seem as long as last time. Maybe because I had a better sense of what to expect, and because it only took about 35 minutes versus 50 minutes.
The next day I made my way to the Urgent Care. I still think modern medicine is the most amazing thing we have. However, modern American Healthcare is just so dumb sometimes.
I checked in and let the receptionist know that I had been there Sunday, I got a call asking me to come back, and so here I am. I was called back to an exam room and waited for a bit. When the doctor came in he asked, "So what are we doing for you today?"
Ugh ... I get that this isn't concierge medicine, but I was hoping that at the very least the doctor that called me the night before would have added something to my chart. And that something would have been reviewed before the doctor came in to speak with me.
So, I let him know about the Ultrasound, the call for the doctor the previous day asking me to come in for a follow up. The doctor left the room to go review the Ultrasound for a few minutes.
He came back in, said it looked fine, but that he'd like to see the wound.
He examined it, said it looked like it was healing nicely. Asked if I had any pain. He checked to make sure I didn't have a fever, and I was done.
I'm glad that they were taking a better safe that sorry approach, but it was a bit disappointing that there wasn't better communication between the docs. I don't know, maybe this isn't a reasonable expectation.
Fortunately I had taken time off for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday so it didn't impact any work stuff, BUT it did take away from my time with Abby (the reason I took that time off in the first place!)
It was fine, and we still got to hang out a ton, but we did miss out on a few episodes of Lost that we would have been able to watch otherwise.
I start my infused chemo on Monday. I'm not nervous or scared or anything like that. I'm relieved. I'm relieved that I get to start on this next start of the journey. While it's going to be hard, and there will likely be days that suck, the only way out is through. I can do this. We can do this. Together, with fresh ingredients.