After the MRI or CT scan debacle, I'd had enough. If it wasn't dealing with real people it would make a great comedy sketch in the vein of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first!" It is utter carelessness that Bilkmore can't even get a simple scan order submitted correctly and shows the pattern of carelessness that they have now become synonymous with. After repeated calls, we think it is all settled but then again, it is Bilkmore so something can still go wrong.
By late Tuesday I'd had enough and called the "Excellent Care" number. I spoke with a very helpful clinic manager. She said she'd been with them since October and had been straightening out one mess after another. That did not give me any more confidence in the clinic. I'm now wishing we'd known about her from the beginning. This manager finally had to fax in Jan's work's request for continued treatment verification herself. All of this is after an in-person request to the nurse last Thursday, a call on Friday and a call again on Monday!
IMPORTANT NOTE - Valuable Lesson #2: If you are being treated by a nurse practitioner, you have the right to request to see the doctor instead. I wish we'd have been told that from the beginning. Jan is so afraid they will retaliate against her for complaining. She is very fearful of me making such calls. The lady assured us they would not negatively change her treatment because she complained.
As of right now, she is supposed to be seeing the actual neurosurgeon at her next appointment on March 4th at 4:15 PM! The CT scan is now scheduled for March 3rd at 2:00 PM. She will be going to the children's hospital to see the actual doctor. Don't ask because we do not know how she wound up with a pediatric doctor! Hopefully, he is used to dealing with people like me, childish and stubborn! I'm thinking since we've gotten away from the non-doctor administrative types that the real doctor will be more agreeable in person. Putting a face to an x-ray or CT scan where she can voice her own concerns directly has to make a difference.
I thought I was going to have to fight with the scheduler about the difference between 12 weeks and three months again! Months don't divide into evenly calculated weekday boundaries, either. She kept trying to make it a full week later than her original appointment. You can tell these people don't have a clue how horrible this experience is and continues to be.
Three days is 3.5% of 12 weeks. As such, three days cannot make an appreciable difference in how well the bone is healed and, therefore, when the halo can be removed. Standard practice from all accounts is to wear it four more weeks if the bone isn't healed but shows signs of healing.
Obviously, she doesn't want to have to wear it one single day longer than absolutely necessary. Pray for her! If it doesn't come off March 4th, pray for both of us!
By late Tuesday I'd had enough and called the "Excellent Care" number. I spoke with a very helpful clinic manager. She said she'd been with them since October and had been straightening out one mess after another. That did not give me any more confidence in the clinic. I'm now wishing we'd known about her from the beginning. This manager finally had to fax in Jan's work's request for continued treatment verification herself. All of this is after an in-person request to the nurse last Thursday, a call on Friday and a call again on Monday!
IMPORTANT NOTE - Valuable Lesson #2: If you are being treated by a nurse practitioner, you have the right to request to see the doctor instead. I wish we'd have been told that from the beginning. Jan is so afraid they will retaliate against her for complaining. She is very fearful of me making such calls. The lady assured us they would not negatively change her treatment because she complained.
As of right now, she is supposed to be seeing the actual neurosurgeon at her next appointment on March 4th at 4:15 PM! The CT scan is now scheduled for March 3rd at 2:00 PM. She will be going to the children's hospital to see the actual doctor. Don't ask because we do not know how she wound up with a pediatric doctor! Hopefully, he is used to dealing with people like me, childish and stubborn! I'm thinking since we've gotten away from the non-doctor administrative types that the real doctor will be more agreeable in person. Putting a face to an x-ray or CT scan where she can voice her own concerns directly has to make a difference.
I thought I was going to have to fight with the scheduler about the difference between 12 weeks and three months again! Months don't divide into evenly calculated weekday boundaries, either. She kept trying to make it a full week later than her original appointment. You can tell these people don't have a clue how horrible this experience is and continues to be.
Three days is 3.5% of 12 weeks. As such, three days cannot make an appreciable difference in how well the bone is healed and, therefore, when the halo can be removed. Standard practice from all accounts is to wear it four more weeks if the bone isn't healed but shows signs of healing.
Obviously, she doesn't want to have to wear it one single day longer than absolutely necessary. Pray for her! If it doesn't come off March 4th, pray for both of us!
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