So, we took mom to the doctor again. I called and made an appointment. When asked what the appointment was for I told them Dr B told us mom had to have another scan of her leg and we needed for the scan to be done. Dr B again not available for a month and I accepted an appointment with a nurse practitioner “W”. I asked if Dr B would read the test and was told that W would do so. Well, it has to be done so, okay. The morning of the appointment I called the “wellness office” at the facility that mom is living at to see if what info they would need from or have for the doctor and got their direct line/fax number. The woman was surprised that we were taking mom for the scan – they can do at it the facility. I explained that we did not know that.
Picked up mom to go to the doctor. Drove there – we allowed an hour to pick her up and have a 15 minute drive. I was prepared with a touch screen stylus this time so I could check mom in (I don't show up well on tablets or cell phones) – still had to do it all twice. The place was quiet and not a madhouse as it had been last time and I started thinking that maybe we just picked up a bad impression based on the one visit. We were called about 15 minutes after mom's appointment time – I consider that normal and much better than the hours late last time. W (a nurse practitioner) came in. She had mom's file on the computer in front of her – she asked the same questions as last time – back to the start of mom's life. She tried to weigh mom – ummm, woman in wheelchair who can barely stand with walker – and she wanted mom to stand on scale which had nothing to hold onto. Did not work. Then she asked why we were there!!! Huh, this was set up on the phone call and the purpose of our driving 45 minutes to get mom and bring her there… I explained again about the scan. “There is no request for a scan on her record.” I told the entire story a second time. “No, no scan requested and I don't do scans only X does and she is only in on Wednesdays and sometimes Saturday.” My BP was rapidly rising. Apparently Dr B had not many notes on our appointment – then again he had take a call and left us to leave on our own so maybe he never got back to same. She entered into the computer that mom needs a scan and told us to make an appointment at the desk before we left. Well, that was an improvement, last time no one told us to do that and made a mess of trying to make an appointment for her. I stopped at the desk. We explained and also explained that we needed a different type of cardiologist (yes, cardiologist for her legs) as her pacemaker was checked at her facility and needs to be replaced within 2 months. They made an appointment for us with a different doctor whose office is at a local hospital. (And with the craziness in this office I have called the office to make sure that they do the procedure needed and to confirm the appointment.) We also made an appointment for mom to come back and have her legs scanned and then a separate appointment to have the doctor go over the test with us. My sister and I agree that mom's scan should be done at the facility she lives at and sister will discuss with mom and set it up as Dr B is BIL's doctor and mom has decided that he is god and she has to have test with him. At the end of the visit we got a print out with what had been done (nothing, but it does not say that), a list of her meds – that we gave them – and the upcoming appointments. After we walked out I realized that we had not received any papers like this last time – probably because the doctor never did the paperwork so no scan, and no request for us to make an appointment. Oh and the appointment with Dr B that would be a month wait when I called for same - 2 weeks. When I asked why the appointment was made with Wendy if she could not do the needed test and why same was not scheduled I was told that when one calls one gets a central booking office in Florida (about 8 or 9 states away from here) and they have no idea what they doing – great setup! We are not sure if this setup is a Medicare scam or just the worst organized doctor's office we have seen. Another day wasted.
We are to go tomorrow (Thursday) to take the RV to our dealer two states away about the battery problem – but more about this later.
Yesterday we had our car at the mechanic for an oil change and husband mentioned a funny feel when he brakes. Car needs transmission work. Husband was suppose to drive the car while I drive our RV so that after we dropped the RV off we could get home. Now it cannot be driven that far. Panic set in trying to figure out what to do. Then I remembered – we have the van also. The van has not been driven out of state at least since we have the RV if not before. I asked the mechanics and they say that should be fine to drive the van that far.
Today is the last day of the Jewish New Years holiday and the most significant/solemn holiday of the Jewish calendar. We need the car Monday to take mom to the other doctor – she could not climb into the van. What to do? We had planned on husband calling today (as I am not suppose to be doing everyday things today) and making an appointment for the transmission work. Our heads have been swimming and we have been going crazy for a week. If we don't have the car Monday either someone else has to take mom or we have to change the appointment. While we tried decide about making the appointment for the transmission work – husband had an idea that relaxed it all a bit. We would call Friday for the transmission appointment on Friday, take mom to her doctor on Monday and then have the appointment after same so all would get done – hopefully.
So this week – Monday was doctor for mom, Tuesday car was at mechanic, Wednesday was my holiday, and Thursday we are going out of state to drop off the RV. Another week gone.
When I got home after religious services tonight set up everything up in the van and the RV for the trip. Two sets of directions (I REALLY don't need same, but he insisted), spare shoes – it is suppose to rain tomorrow and we hope we get ahead of the rain and miss it, but in case, spare eyeglasses for me, walkie talkies (hopefully we will stay close enough together to talk back and forth – when we bought the RV and drove it home separately we were able to do so), emergency snacks for husband in case his blood sugar drops low, and so on and emergency stuff for him - like the snacks – have to be where he can grab them easily while driving.
Friday I will get to do everything I have not done all week (I hope).
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
It is the start of a new year. It may not be a new year for you, but as I have mentioned in the past, every day is the start of a new year. Please feel free to use this ancient start of year to start working on your organizing and decluttering – even cleaning.
The craziness we have been going through started last year shortly after the Jewish New Year with husband's shoulder and arm going into terrible pain, luckily not the heart attack we feared – for what happened then - http://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2018/10/i-was-finally-catching-up-bit-and.html
We are hoping for a good new year and a change in how life is going for us. I hope others have a good year ahead.
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