Small Rants
Its not important, but it bugs me…
Our first day with the cancer team at Virginia Mason, I could have sworn they said something about “free parking” while we were in this process. Of course this means nothing on the large scale of things but still like on a Monopoly board, who doesn’t like free parking? So today nuclear medicine validates with the “Patient Discount” when I ask about it, she says that’s the only stamp then have. But Cancer Center downstairs probably has the free parking stamp.
Ok, maybe that’s what I forgot. We have to stop there for free parking. Down we go and over to the front desk, near the peaceful water wall….and tell them we are in for a bone scan and were looking for a free parking stamp.
“Whose Your Doctor?” the sddenly officious woman asks while the others behind the desk watch in silence.
My wife names her Oncologist and Surgeon. I am never playing poker with this woman! No change in expression.. either she doesn’t know the doctors names or she has been well trained to avoid all tells in any situation.
“Who did your biopsy?”
What? I think… how many more and more personal questions do we need to answer for free parking. Doesn’t HIPAA prevent pulling a full medical history for a parking stamp? I was about ready to tell Tina to whip out the boob and show Mrs. Officious the cancer lump. “Hey lady we didn’t walk up from the flower show to scam you for free parking” would have been my next retort.. except…
Tina names another doctor and the woman grudginly stamps the card. Letting us know this is not how it is suppose to be. God forbid someone who is channeling thousands of dollars in business your way, get free parking.
ok.. its just parking.. it doesn’t matter that much.. but… I guess it is worth quizzing your cancer patients to prevent too many freebies.
Sigh.. that is a small rant.
Today is the first day of my PET scan diet. Low carbs. I’ve eaten almonds, the egg and canadian bacon out of one of The Husband’s breakfast sandwiches, cheese, and now I’m eating spinach with tuna salad. Still I feel so powerfully hungry. It’s beyond hungry. It’s like a black hole in my stomach, where everything gets sucked in, and it still feels empty. So empty it HURTS. I keep trying to fill the space with water. Maybe I’ll try hot tea. Sometimes that helps expand the food in my stomach, so that less feels like more. Or maybe that’s only if the food is carbohydrate.
Oh my goodness, this is so hard. How will I ever get through the PET scan without chewing on someone’s face? Maybe they can sedate me through the whole process, then have a large pizza ready for me when I wake up?