Just how much patience do I have? Well it appears that I m finding out. I believe I mentioned my bad knees, well nothing has changed. Was it supposed to? Yes it was! It all started when I asked my e mailed my Dr. and explained that my knee shad gotten a lot worse and what did he advise, His PA answered my email saying that she would fax a referral to an Orthopaedic ?Clinic in Yuma and they would phone me with a date for an appointment. This was about 2 weeks before Christmas when we would be going to Puerto Penasca with friends. Well a few days passed and I phoned the ?Clinic to see if they received it. Nothing yet but they assured me that they phone as soon as they received it. More days passed and nothing happened so I phoned my Drs, Office and asked if they had faxed it. Well it seems that they have some kind of problem faxing across state lines (go figure) So they just put in the mail yesterday and it would arrive by next Monday. So I waited patiently till Mondays mail was delivered and continued to wait patiently for a few hours. I then called the clinic to see if they received it, No but they would call. The next day no phone call so I waited another day. Then I called and they said nothing yet. My patience was running a bit by now so I took a deep breath and called my dr. Well they just couldn’t understand it. “but you know how the mail is around the holidays” Why they didn’t send it by FedEx I’ll never know. But she said she would try to fax it again and call me and let me know if it went through. Well she didn’t call so once again I called her.
“Oh yes, it went through.”
By now it was too late to hear from the clinic. The next morning I waited till 11 clock and then called them. Yes, they had received it .
“Well can I make an appointment ton see someone?”
“The referral doesn’t say what the problem is so I need to ask you some questions”.
The referral doesn’t say what the problem is so I need to ask you some questions”.
“OK”
“When did the fracture occur?”
“There is no fracture, the x ray shows osteoarthritis.”
“Oh dear, we only treat fractures at this clinic”
“Oh no, I’ve waited all this time and I am back to square one?”
“Well their office is closed by now but I can send your referral to a Dr, Zoellner, and he does knees”
“How long will that take?’
“Well if you phone on Tuesday and get an appointment I can see that he gets the info.”
So I waited till Tuesday and phoned. Thankfully I got an appointment for that Friday. When I went in they hadn’t got the referral information but not worry the clinic was in the next building. So over I go, get info and finally get to see a Dr. He was very thorough and suggested that I needed an MRI to be sure what the extent of the damage was. Then we could decide on a treatment. Out I go to his receptions Rosie who tells me that they will phone the Imaging Lab and make an appointment. But they are backed up because of the holidays so it might be a couple of weeks. But Rosie assures me that even though I have an appointment they almost always call because of a cancellation and I should get in much earlier.
On Monday I find out that my appointment isn’t until Jan 7th. So, there go our Christmas plans. It was just as well because our friend’s truck broke down and they had to get some extensive repairs.
So I hope all through the holidays that I will get a call to go in early. But nothing though I am afraid to go anywhere without my phone. But in spite of my diligence no one phones and the appointment day looms. Meanwhile our time at Fortuna Pond has run out and we still need to be close to town so we go down to the Quechan Casino where we can stay for free as long as we want. (A tip: Staying at a Casino for free will probably be the most expensive camping you will do).
We decided that since my MRI appointment is at 5:30 am we decided to go to their parking lot the night before with the trailer then we can leave as soon as I am finished to Palm Springs where we will be meeting my daughter and son-in-law.
Of course by now I am afraid that I will sleep in so I set an alarm but I;m not sure it works. So I wake every hour on the hour t see what time it is. I finally give up around 4oclock and get up and play on the computer. At last 5:30 arrives and in I go.
The first half hour is spent filling out forms and paying my deductible etc. etc. Just as we finish the tech. Comes out and announces that the machine i=has gone down and it will take a bit of time to fire it up again. “So just be patient” Well that’s not so bad, I can wait. I go out and get a book and settle down. About 20 minutes later the receptionist announces to me that the machine is broken and they are trying to find someone to fix it
“What does that mean?” I ask nervously.
“It seems that they don’t know yet but if I want to wait out in the trailer she will phone me as soon as it is repaired.
So I am in the trailer for an hour or so and think I will go over and see what’s up. Well, they have someone working on it. And she says” I have an appointment open at 1:30 if you want it and the machine is up and running by then.”
Now I am totally confused. How is it I have to make another appointment. I haven’t finished the one I am here for through no fault of my own. But button my lip because it never helps to shoot the messenger. So after a little thought I say that I need to be in Palm Springs today so let’s reschedule for next week. My appointment with Dr, Zoellner isn’t until the 21st of Jan because he is on holidays all next week. She looks at her appointment page and says the earliest she can get me in is the 22nd. I tell her that isn’t going to work because he won’t have my results dah!!!!! “Oh “ she says and looks again. “ I see a free time on the 20th , I can get you in.” Great, I agree to take it.
“Can you promise that Dr. Zoellner will have the results by the 22nd?”
“Oh absolutely” she says. I wonder why I am skeptical? But never the less the dye is cast and we are on our way to Palm Springs. I am going to try my best to have a great time and pretend that I have infinite patience.
Till next time,
Travlin’ Gal
Z
19 Jan 2014We have been waiting and its good to be back in the loop. You’re missing a very mild winter, almost the same as Yuma.