Tests and More Tests Part 2

After my chat with Dr Young, I got to get a tour of the chemotherapy room. The picture I've put here is what a really nice chemo room looks like. The one I toured wasn't quite so nice, but the idea is the same. A group of recliners all lined up in a row with little curtains to separate you from your cancer neighbor. Everyone gets their own pole to hang their chemo drip on and also everyone gets ... uh ... well, that's about it. A chair, a pole and a curtain. What more could you need?

After my tour a nurse went through all my medications and wrote down when I needed to take what pill and how much. 5 scripts later and a post-it note of very confusing instructions, I'm pushed out the door and down the hall to the heart center. Almost home free.

Almost no waiting in there either. I'm called back by the super model of EKG givers. "Hey, Sheri, I'm Jeremy" (Funny I can't remember the names of anyone else that day, but I remember his. Not sure what that's all about.) "I'm going to give you your EKG today." We go into our little patient room and I hop up on the table. Jeremy asks that I get down because he's forgotten to put the paper protector down first. Then he hands me my little hospital gown and tells me I only need to undress from the waist up. He leaves the room.

I change and Super Model Jeremy comes back in and tells me to hop up on the table. Is this a test? I look at him. "Oh, I forgot to put paper on the table. I'll be right back. Ok?" I think I mumbled something about him being dreamy and he papers my table...just for me...only dropping the paper once.

On the table and Jeremy is trying to keep my little gown closed where my breasts used to be while he puts my little EKG probes all over me. I finally tell him I have no modesty problems since there is nothing there. Ok, to let the gown be open. It was at this time that Jeremy felt obligated to comment on my chest. "Yeah, uh, looks like your scars have really healed up nicely." Oh, Jeremy, you charmer.

Test took all of about 5 minutes and I'm dressed and out the door. Jeremy says they are done with me and wished me good luck and stuff. Yayyyy! Testing is DONE! I was hungry and ready to get home. My cousin Rachel was at the house to greet the children when they got off the bus, so the kiddos were fine, but I was ready to get home. (Thank you, Rachel!)

At some point after getting home, my cell phone rang but I didn't hear it. I pick up my message and it's the heart center - they had left me an urgent message saying they need me to call them back NOW! Oh crap. Now what? I call and am sent around the center twice before I finally get back on the phone with my ol pal Jeremy. He remembered me. I can't say I'm surprised - we really bonded with that scar conversation. I explained to him that I had been left a message by some woman and there was a problem. Did he know what was going on? No, no he did not, but he'd check. Time. Stood. Still.

Jeremy returns to the phone with my chart in hand and says that everything looks dandy to him. He has no idea why they called. I patiently ask him to please find out what is going on. OHHH! Now he sees it. He forgot to give me my heart echo test. Oopsy. He said they were closing, but maybe I could get in to the other St Luke's heart center. Give em a call, k? Cause you can't get chemo til you get that test. Ok, and good luck and stuff.

The other heart center was able to squeeze (hee!) me in the next day at 5:00 that evening.

Thank, God.

My chemotherapy begins tomorrow promptly at 9:30am. You do not want to be in this house with me tonight. The word "stress" doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling tonight. No one is safe. Every so often a slice of cheesecake is passed my way and I hear someone running quickly away. I've taken two of my "happy" pills and am thinking that wasn't enough. Maybe I'll sew the head back on Tigger, rename him Jeremy and release some stress that way.

Peace out.