Thursday, April 4, 2013

My Best Day So Far part 2

Back to the story...So that is what we did.  When we got to urgent care, they showed us the x-ray and we could clearly see the fracture.  We got a brace that mostly fit Jacob's arm, stopped at Costco to pick up a couple of things including a pizza for dinner, went home, threw a few things in the suitcase, tried not to look at the dishes in the sink, and left for a wonderful weekend away.

A few weeks back, our past Stake President, President Richardson told John that he felt inspired to invite our family to use their cabin for a little family get away.  We had decided that this past weekend would be a good time to do that.  Other than a slight nagging pain in John's shoulder/neck, we all were feeling great and had a fantastic time at the cabin. (More on that with pictures in another post)

Then we came home.  We got home Saturday night and I spent until about midnight getting clothes, dishes, etc. clean and ready for Sunday morning.  I also listened to our phone messages.  I realized from the two reminder calls that came from PCH, that someone has messed up and scheduled Jacob's Ortho appointment at 10:45 when he was supposed to check in for surgery at 10:15.  Oops.  No problem, I would just call and get it all cleared up first thing Monday morning.

So Monday morning came.  Yes, my best day so far.  I called the orthopedics's office and explained the mistake that was made.  The receptionist's response, "well, I don't have another appointment time."   Okay, so what should we do?  I explained that he had broken his arm almost a week before, he was still in pain, and we needed to get it set.  She just kept repeating, "I don't have another appointment time."  No offer of another day, or to squeeze him in earlier, or even an apology for whoever made the mistake.

So my mind reeled for a minute trying to figure out what to do, then I just said for her to cancel the appointment and I would take him somewhere else.  As I began looking for the names of the other orthopedic offices that I had gotten from our PCP, the phone rang.  That was my dermatologist letting me know that the spot on my nose was indeed cancer.  They told me they would call me with the results in 7-10 days.  I wasn't ready for that call just 4 days after the appointment.  It threw me for a loop.

So, back to trying to find an orthopedic doctor for Jacob.  Luckily the first place that I called, was very helpful.  A very kind young man listened as I explained our situation.  He then said that he would do everything he could to get William in right away so that it did not interfere with his surgery the next day.  He determined that the Gilbert office was the closest for us and looked at the schedule.  He said that they were totally booked, but that he would talk to his supervisor and see if they could squeeze him in, but it might be at the very end of the day or at the very beginning of the next day.  She would call me and let me know.

Okay, off to the grocery store to grab a few things.  While out, I got a call from the supervisor at the Core Institute.  She said that they could get Jacob in at 10:30 if I could make it.  The doctor had to leave by 11.  It was 9:55 at the time.  At first I said I could but then as I sat there with my groceries, I realized that there would be no way I could check out, get my groceries home, pick Jacob up at school, and get over to the office in time.  Besides I only had respite scheduled for Bryce and Annalise until 10:15.   She said that they could get him in at 2.  Perfect!

Our awesome respite worker was able/willing to come back that afternoon, which was great.  I did find out at this time though that due to sickness and unavailability for the next morning, I would not have any respite workers available Tuesday until 1:30pm instead of 7am like we had originally scheduled.  I would need to figure out another way to have Annalise taken care of while I took Jacob up for his surgery.  No time to figure that out now though, I would do it when we got home from his appointment.   Luckily Bryce would be in school all day so as long as all went well, it would just be Annalise and she is pretty easy.

At 1:30, I picked Jacob up from school and headed to the appointment.  I signed him in and the man behind the counter asked me what our last name is.  He looked at his computer and then back at us and told me that we were at the wrong office.  Ends up that the lady didn't schedule us at the Gilbert office, near Mercy Gilbert Hospital, but at the Mesa office on Dobson by Banner Desert Hospital, 16 miles away from where we were.  That would have been good to know earlier!  I explained that we would not make it there by 2 and that they were just squeezing us in.  Again, this young man was very kind and said that he would call them and let them know what had happened and that we were on our way.

As we headed back out to the car, I called our respite worker to explain that we would be a little longer than we had planned.  Then I realized that despite having charged my phone to 100%, the battery was low and would soon die.  I've been having trouble with my phone holding a charge and it no longer will charge with the charger in the car.  So it would soon die.  Not a big deal, I know.  However, when you have a medically fragile child at home who has a tendency to stop breathing at times, it makes you a little nervous to be without any way of someone getting a hold of you.  At least it does me!  I called John with the last bit of battery I had and told him what was happening and where we were going if anyone needed to get a hold of us...and off we went!  I explained that I had no idea when we would be home and that dinner would be late.  He reminded me that he had a meeting at 6.  I said that I would be home as soon as possible, but it should be in plenty of time.  He said, "I'll see you with a pizza in hand at 5:45.  I hadn't planned on pizza for that night, or being home that late, but he was right on!  Jacob and I walked in with a pizza for dinner at 5:45.

to be continued  (and finished) soon!

1 comment:

Denise Hauer said...

Wow you have been busy!!! Can't wait to hear the rest! BTW--if you ever get into a bind again--Call me!!! I can watch the kiddos!