my mom

[Drunk Monk]

Friday started with this consultation first thing in the morning.  We got to the facility at the appointed time - 15 min prior to our appt - but it wasn't open and no one is there. The lobby had an automated reception, one of those large touch-screen menu things, but the new Doc's name didn't show when searched by either his name or specialty. I finally found it by doing a complete file search. Of course, the office wasn't open because we were the first appt. so we waiting in the hallway.

Note that my mom's pain levels are exacerbated by sitting.  She can only sit up for a few minutes, enough to eat and use the bathroom, then the pain sets in.  For these appts, she must sit in the car and then her wheelchair until we can actually get into the exam room where she can lay on the table, but getting on to and off of that table is a trial each time.  

The Doc comes in and starts consulting when the receptionist informs us that we're out of system. Insurance doesn't cover - my mom is under PAMF and that only covers part of El Camino, which is where this specialist is.  Fuck.  The Doc was courteous and gave an 'off the record' opinion, which was that there may be an additional underlying issue with her hip. He recommends that we go straight to ER, but being in EC, that's such a gamble because if the surgeon on duty is not covered by PAMF, it's all out-of-pocket (only some of them are - we lucked out last time - I'm not sure why she went to EC to begin with but it was my cousin who made that call).  I suspect that was a CYA anyways.

I get my mom home and she settles down. This was the first day of home care and I leave for work, planning not to return until Tuesday, planning to go home for the weekend.

I get a call from Dr Ferrari's office.  They've set up a stat MRI appt for today based on the consulting specialist's off-the-record opinion.  Fuck.

I do some juggling and get that switched to Monday eve, which means I'll go back a little sooner than planned, but at least I have the weekend.

Home care has begun.  Stacy met the first caretaker and really liked her.  There's different caretakers every day through Tuesday. The Monday one will be cut short because of the MRI, but that's the same one as yesterday and we've already cleared it with her.  Then Tuesday and Wednesday, more appts. Tuesday's will overlap with a homecare provider, but she can accompany us to the appt, because they can do that - they can even take my mom to appts but I really need to go because I know her medical record and am her health proxy, and she's usually too incoherent from the pain to answer the doc or fill out any forms.  

So I get a weekend.  And I'm so grateful to be home now.