Yesterday was funny... but it wasn't supposed to be. I was scheduled for an MRI on my back so that my doctor could try to figure out why I was dealing with so much back pain. I've only had an MRI once before and that was last summer when we were trying to figure out whether my lump was cancerous. That was actually a pretty pleasant experience. Well, maybe not pleasant as my anxiety level during that time was HIGH but generally it wasn't a bad experience. The test last year was done at the Washington Radiology Center (that I recall) and everything was shiny and modern and comfortable. In fact, the reason why the test was so pleasant was because I never felt or heard a thing. I laid on a table with ear plugs, listening to the radio. And then it was over. Easy right?
If you've never had a MRI before... basically, its a large machine and the area where they put you into the machine is a big tube. You are lain on a narrow bed/gurney and slid into a large white tube. And that's it. So, naturally, I expected my experience yesterday to mirror that initial experience. It did not.
We started at 11:00am. I decided to go to the hospital alone this time because I know that my mom doesn't particularly like just sitting there waiting for me. I felt that since it was going to be a relatively mild and easy experience, I could handle it alone. I arrived at the radiology reception desk and was greeted by a gentleman who seemed just a bit harried. Surprisingly so considering it was so early in the day. I told him my name and why I was there and he replied....
"You're in the right place. But before you sign in, I have to tell you that one of the machines is down and we are now running 4 hours behind"
(blank stare)
Wow? Really? FOUR HOURS? How does that even work? (laughs)
I laughed (what else could I do) and was thankful that I had brought 2 books with me to read instead of just one. And I walked over to my seat. My initial reaction was to say forget it but I just couldn't do it. Less than 5 minutes later, I was called back to the reception desk and told that whomever had made my appointment had failed to get the proper authorization from my insurance company. Without that authorization, I couldn't take the test that day and would need to reschedule. I was sent packing, told to go back to my doctor's office and ask them to finish doing their job so that I could reschedule the test.
I was taken aback. The cancer center is usually pretty good about taking care of all the details. But what could I do other than take care of this mishap? Of course, I immediately worried that something was wrong with my insurance and started freaking out silently that I might have to pay for the MRI out of pocket. But I just started walking out of the hospital and down the block to the cancer center to try to take care of the situation.
Nothing moves quickly at the cancer center, but there was no reason for me to go all the way home without taking care of this small paperwork snafu. I explained my problem to one of the ladies at the reception area and she explained that it was not likely that I would get the needed authorization that day but she would try.
I settled on the couch prepared to wait up to 2 hours while things worked themselves out. Less than 15 minutes later I was called back to the desk.
Well... it seems that someone was a bit eager in their processing of my paperwork and failed to notice that I didn't require the authorization form that they had flagged my file for not having.
(blank face)
Basically, I had been deterred for an hour... for no reason.
Ha. All that was missing was somebody slapping me in the face and laughing. Just buffoonery...
I walked back to the radiology department at the hospital, laughing to myself. The gentleman at the desk was kind to me, while he fussed about working with people who didn't do their jobs well. All I could do was laugh. I figured the walk back and forth in the heat hadn't killed me, and the fact that I was hungry (can't eat for a few hours before the test) just gave me more incentive to stick around and get it over with.
Amazingly, I didn't have to wait four hours to be seen. I think ultimately my 11:15am appointment had me in the MRI machine by 1:30pm. That's about normal for most of my appointments -- a two hour wait.
This trip through the MRI was not as pleasant as the one last year. GW Hospital didn't have the fancy earplugs with various radio stations. And that machine rumbled and shook and made all sorts of noises the entire time. I am not claustrophobic but being in that plastic tube for what felt like an hour was definitely NOT the most fun I've ever had.
The technician complained that I kept moving which was messing up the images. I still find it hard to believe because I was jammed in there like a hot dog on a bun. (shrug) But, eventually it was over. I had to deal with having an IV stuck in my arm -- I really do not like needles and they could not use my port for the contrast. After I was done with the test, disoriented and slightly dizzy... the technician realized just as I made it to the dressing room to change back into my clothes, that she had forgotten to remove the IV from my arm.
It was just one bad move after another... all day long. But I didn't complain once. I did call my friend and shared my frustrations with her but I didn't complain to the staff. I notice more and more that I'm less likely to complain about something these days than I have been in the past. Not really sure why. Whenever I want to complain, I think about whether its something that is being done "to me" or if its a matter of circumstance. If its a matter of circumstance, meaning that it isn't that someone is trying to harm Nicole specifically... I just let it go.
Life is too short.
