Cancer Sucks!! Part II

April 4, 2003

So here I am setting in the passenger seat of the car staring out the window. We had just dropped Meghan off to my mom and we were now on our way to the hospital. I cannot remember what I was thinking about during this drive but, it sure did feel like it took forever to get there. We arrived at the hospital around 9:30pm and went to the emergency room front desk I told the receptionist that CareNow had called ahead to let them know I was on my way she looked at her records and asked me to have a seat in the waiting room. We waited for about an hour and they called me back in. Once I was in they asked me the normal battery of questions: Name, Date of Birth, Social Security number yada yada yada.... I gave her all the information and she said "Oh here you are in our records" Now mind you I was only there one other time 9 years ago to give birth to my daughter she did not ask for anything else. She took my Blood pressure, temperature, the X-rays I had in my hand and called over a Doctor to look at them who I believe was just an intern because he definitely had not learned "Bedside Manner". He looked at them films and said "Wow that is a large mass"! So here I sat not sure what is going on with me and this guy says something like that. Once the nurse is done inspecting me she sends me into a room to wait for another Doctor to come in. (thank goodness the one who looked at my x-rays was not the one who would be seeing me) I call my sister to let her know what is going on and she is already on her way up to the hospital and gets there to set with me while I start the long wait. Sometime around 11:00 the Dr. came into to see me and let me know he was sending me for a Cat Scan. I finally had a Dr in here so the questions came tumbling out of my mouth so fast I am not sure he heard them all.  I asked him if he had looked at the slides and he said yes. I then asked well what do you think it is? He told me "Well I am not sure I need the Cat scan to get a better detail but, it is a large mass (here we go again with that word mass like it was something I should have a clue about!) He then went on to say it was looking like three different things all which led to Cancer. Yes he said CANCER!!!! and to top it off one of the types he thought it was had no cure. I think at that point that was all I heard. Cancer, No Cure, Cancer, Cancer, Huh?? What?? I'm only 28 how could that be right!?!?!? At that point I went into SHOCK. I remember having no feeling and then having this utter calmness sweep over me. They sent in someone to set me up with an IV so I could go for the Cat Scan he was horrible he poked and poked and poked until he found the vain blood was all over the place and running down my arm! My sister who is a nurse was getting ticked because he just kept trying and did not bother to get someone else to do it after the 5th stick! But hey that was the least of my worries at this point. They came to get me for the Cat Scan around 11:45 once this was completed they sent me back to the room.

April 5, 2003

Still waiting at 12:30am and finally the Dr came in to let me know it was indeed Cancer but, he still was not sure what kind. He was going to admit me into the hospital so I could see the On call Oncologist. I was wheeled up into a room round 12:45am, When I got into the room I noticed it was not a private room I figured they must be busy and this was all that was available and besides there was not anyone in the other bed so It was like being by myself. Once I got settled in Durwood left to get a bag packed for me at home. I was all alone in this room and it was so quiet I remember hearing the beeping and buzzing noises of all the machines I was hooked up to. I had a nurse come into check my blood pressure and oxygen level. I asked her when I would be seeing the Oncologist and she said  "He is making his rounds and should be in here soon". This was at 1:30am. I did not see anyone again until 10:00am and this was the nurse coming in again to check my blood pressure and oxygen level. I asked her when I would see the Oncologist and she said       "Did he not come see you last night"? I told her no, and as a matter of fact she was the first person I had seen since 1:30am. She said she would go check and see what was going on and would be right back. Shortly after the staff Doctor on duty was making his rounds and stopped by my room. He went over the same information I already had been told and asked if I had seen the On call Oncologist yet. I said no he was suppose to come last night but, he never made it to my room. With a puzzled looke he said he would check on it. This was becoming ever so frustrating. How do you tell someone you have Cancer we don't know what kind and then just shuffle different staff in and out of my room all saying the same thing.... "We'll Check on it".

READ ON>>> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD!!!!

One of the billing staff came into my room wheeling a computer. She asked me how my stay was and then went on to say ****Here it Comes**** "Ms. Manley we have ran your insurance information and it shows you do not have a policy with them. We would like to know how you will be paying for your stay so far"? O looked at her confused . I explained to her that I do have insurance and I am not sure what she is talking about. I pull out my insurance card and hand it to her. She looks at the card and states " Oh, I show you have Tricare." Wow!!! I have not had that insurance since uh let's see I have not had that insurance in YEARS! So we figured the problem out they shuffled me through the emergency check-in so quick that when the nurse earlier entered my name and date of birth into the system it popped up my information from 1994 the last time I was there giving birth to Meghan! The billing lady said "Ok we have got you all squared away now and left my room". By now my mom was there with us still waiting for that Oncologist to show up. As you can probably figure having us three set in a room with no answers kinda starts to make people crazy. We would latch onto every person that came into the room trying to get answers but, none were given because they all would say those dreadful 6 words "You need to ask the Oncologist".  WELL I WOULD IF THEY WOULD COME TO MY ROOM~~ this was always the response! After lunch (yes they did feed me ..lol..) around 1:00pm another Billing lady came in with her push computer in tow. **SIDE NOTE  this was a different lady tan the last**  She rolled that computer right on in and said "Ms. Manley we are making arrangements to release your from the hospital". " We can have all of your information submitted to JPS Hospital for you". Now at this point I am looking at her like she is crazy! JPS I am not going to JPS I am here why would I leave and go there. She said well since you are non-insured we will be releasing you and sending you there. This lady must have felt the heat from the wrath my mother was fixing to unleash. "My daughter has been here since last night has not seen the Oncologist is stressed beyond stressed and you people keep coming in here telling her she has no insurance! Look she has insurance, we gave the card to the last lady that wheeled that little computer in here! Who do I need to speak to so we can get this straightened out! I am over everyone coming in here we need to get this resolved now"!