Been in jail or homeless?

On the road at 5ish AM this morning for another trip to the Cancer Center.  This time to ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center) the hospital attached to the Cancer Center.  What, no traffic?  May have seen 30 cars total on the way there.  I know Kristi, you told us not to leave so early.  Was there in record time.  30 minutes to be exact.  This time we parked in the parking garage and sat a bit to pass some time away.  I was to be there at 6 AM for registration.  Finally walked from the garage to the hospital.  Got signed in and sat waiting again.  15 minutes later someone came and took me to a registration desk.  Collected some info, put on my hospital ID bracelet and took me back to the waiting area.  Had to wait on the lab to get me to draw some blood and insert my IV.   Got me for that and back to the waiting area to wait for Intervention Radiology to open for my surgery.  That was another 30 minute wait.  Finally a volunteer called my name and took Bill and I to yet another waiting room on the second floor of the hospital.   He wasn't very friendly or maybe he just wasn't a morning person.  ;)  Waited there about 10 minutes and a nurse came for me.  Told Bill to wait and once they got me prepped, he could come back to my "holding" room.  Did the brush the teeth, swab the gums, tongue, gargle, swab the nose, wash the chest and back, get in to the beautiful hospital gown and their socks.  And this was all done by a nurses' aid for me.  Heart monitors stuck on, blood pressure cuff on, IV cords plugged in.  Talked with the doctor, answer another bunch of questions, talk with assistant anesthesiologist, talk with lead anesthesiologist, signed consent forms.  This all done, waiting for the operating room to be prepared.

Another nurse, another nurse and yet another nurse introducing themselves.  Going to be in the operating room with me.  Time noted, bracelet read, asked me my name and date of birth and what procedure I was having done and I was off.  The first one in the operating room.  Bill said that was great because all the knives were the sharpest.  Got over to the operating room and they were helping me get on the operating table and the nurses were told the doctor had to go to OCC, short for occupational therapy.  I was given the option to just wait there or go back to the holding area.  Wait there.  Nurse had to do an ultrasound of the large veins in my neck to see which on they would put the catheter in that hooks to the port.  These ports are usually put in the right side of your chest.  Well, of course, they couldn't find a vein to use on the right side of my neck.  So left side it was.  Nurse said she was giving me a nice cocktail and that's all I remember.

I have two cuts.  One about 2 inches long in the neck area and one about 4 inches long below that one in the chest area.  They place the port (which is about the size of a quarter) in the chest with the catheter running up to the central vein (that takes blood to my heart) in my neck.  Can I now say ouch?  My neck hurts to move it up, down, around, side to side.  Popping those Tylenol pills.  Been icing it and moving my neck to exercise it some.  Not fun.

So that is done.  Now need to get this chemo started and moving on.  All that starts next Thursday.  Just need to get started.  Need to kill these cancer cells that seem to want to keep popping up.  Need to get me on a plan that works.  Need to get me back to feeling good about me.

Yesterday, the preregistration nurse called me.  Of course, had to answer a zillion questions.  Most of them I had already answered a zillion times.  She acknowledged this when she called.  Still have to asked to verify once again.  One question I was asked was if I have traveled outside the US in the last month.  I have seen signs in my oncologist's office, my radiologist's office, in the bathrooms of the Cancer Center asking this same question.  Of course the answer was no.  But this question has never been asked before, "Have I ever been in jail or been homeless?"  I sort of hesitated when asked only because it took me by surprise.

Quote:

If I could make one wish, it wouldn't be for riches or fame.  I'd wish for a CURE.