In Which I Run the Medical Marathan
Mar. 13th, 2018 10:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shannon_aMonday I had to call Kaiser's ESWL department because I was getting conflicting statements about whether I had an appointment for my ESWL or not. Last Tuesday, the ESWL department said yes, but since then my doctor and my urologist both said no.
The good news is that the ESWL department still says yes. As far as I can tell, they just refuse to register their appointments in Kaiser's standard system (because it's not listed in my Kaiser records either).
Today I had to go in to Kaiser for testing, to make sure they're not going to kill me with the procedure. They wanted a blood test, and from the results it looks like they were making sure my blood is coagulating right. Because they'll make me bleed when they blow apart the kidney stone. Everything was in the correct ranges. They also wanted an EKG, to make sure my heart is looking good given my (controlled) high blood pressure. All good there too.
I also needed to pick up a better pain killer.
All of the testing was shockingly efficient. I think I was done with my EKG within 10 minutes of getting to that department. It might have been just 15 minutes at the laboratory for the blood test, because I learned that the laboratory in the hospital has much shorter lines than the laboratory in the Fabiola building, where my doctor is.
The pharmacy, though, was a mess. I have no idea why. As I walked in, I actually thought there were less people than usual. But it took them about an hour to get my pain killer ready, even though I was told 10-15 minutes several times.
So, it still ended up being a good chunk of the day at Kaiser (and getting there and back).
I'd been waiting for a call from a nurse about the procedure since last week, and that finally came in this afternoon, ending my medical marathon. I guess she'd been waiting for the tests, which makes sense.
She mostly reiterated what was on the checklist I already got mailed. No blood thinners, starting a week before the procedure. (Again, that concern about making me bleed.) No food or drink starting at midnight the night before. (I hate not being able to drink in the morning.) Don't take anything but my blood pressure med in the morning, and that with just a small sip of water. Be ready with my alpha blockers when the procedure is over, as they'll hopefully help pass the kidney stone shrapnel.
And then she said, "There's one more, it's kind of funny," and she gave a nervous laugh.
"You shouldn't be constipated or have gas," she said. "Because the kidney stone can hide behind it." She said "it", because she didn't want to use any improper words.
"OK," I said, kind of dumb-founded.
Because, y'know those aren't actually things under our control.
I mean, I guess I can try and stay ultra-hydrated and eat veggies instead of crap.
But mostly it's just another thing to stress about for Friday.
But hopefully by this time next week things will mostly be good.
The good news is that the ESWL department still says yes. As far as I can tell, they just refuse to register their appointments in Kaiser's standard system (because it's not listed in my Kaiser records either).
Today I had to go in to Kaiser for testing, to make sure they're not going to kill me with the procedure. They wanted a blood test, and from the results it looks like they were making sure my blood is coagulating right. Because they'll make me bleed when they blow apart the kidney stone. Everything was in the correct ranges. They also wanted an EKG, to make sure my heart is looking good given my (controlled) high blood pressure. All good there too.
I also needed to pick up a better pain killer.
All of the testing was shockingly efficient. I think I was done with my EKG within 10 minutes of getting to that department. It might have been just 15 minutes at the laboratory for the blood test, because I learned that the laboratory in the hospital has much shorter lines than the laboratory in the Fabiola building, where my doctor is.
The pharmacy, though, was a mess. I have no idea why. As I walked in, I actually thought there were less people than usual. But it took them about an hour to get my pain killer ready, even though I was told 10-15 minutes several times.
So, it still ended up being a good chunk of the day at Kaiser (and getting there and back).
I'd been waiting for a call from a nurse about the procedure since last week, and that finally came in this afternoon, ending my medical marathon. I guess she'd been waiting for the tests, which makes sense.
She mostly reiterated what was on the checklist I already got mailed. No blood thinners, starting a week before the procedure. (Again, that concern about making me bleed.) No food or drink starting at midnight the night before. (I hate not being able to drink in the morning.) Don't take anything but my blood pressure med in the morning, and that with just a small sip of water. Be ready with my alpha blockers when the procedure is over, as they'll hopefully help pass the kidney stone shrapnel.
And then she said, "There's one more, it's kind of funny," and she gave a nervous laugh.
"You shouldn't be constipated or have gas," she said. "Because the kidney stone can hide behind it." She said "it", because she didn't want to use any improper words.
"OK," I said, kind of dumb-founded.
Because, y'know those aren't actually things under our control.
I mean, I guess I can try and stay ultra-hydrated and eat veggies instead of crap.
But mostly it's just another thing to stress about for Friday.
But hopefully by this time next week things will mostly be good.