I blame myself for not paying more attention when I accompanied Juan and his partner way back when to that first appointment where I said I was really only along for the free lunch... but console myself by remembering that I had specifically said "If there is anything I don't know, tell me now so that I don't have any big surprises" and I was assured that I knew all there was to know? Well, I DIDN'T KNOW that that appointment was in a freaking cancer center. I guess I missed the sign or didn't think to read it- the place looks just like a medical complex where I would go to get my head examined or a mammogram- there was nothing about it that screamed cancer center. In fact I did not know this, nor really what kind of doctor Juan's doctor is, until he was released from the hospital and I came home and started researching him online. Now things were making a little more sense except for that one burning question, "why didn't anyone tell me this before?"
The home health care nurse came both Saturday and Sunday after Juans relaese from the hospital Friday. Juan showed up for his doctor appointment Monday morning. This was the appointment that the hospital had scheduled for him for the follow up and catheter removal. Upon arrival at the doctors office (the same one who had done the surgery) Juan was told that the incision sight looked fine but that the doctor was not going to remove the catheter (In a manner like eewww- I am way over qualified for that!) but his staff would call a urologist and make an appointment.
Juan's doctors staff was unable to reach a urologist and Juan was sent home, again, catheter intact to wait for a phone call for an appointment to have it removed. The call never came.
Juan was also waiting on a call for an appointment for when he was to return to the hospital to have the port put in. That call never came either.
Now I swear that what I am about to say is not something that I am making up- I can't swear on a stack of bibles to it's truth because I was not listening in on the conversation- but after the cluster of events over the past few days I believe this to be true...
Impatient waiting for the phone call about the catheter removal and the port installation, Juan decided to call the hospital. The hospital staff checked and told him that he was scheduled to have the port installed the next day at whatever time and that someone would be up to get him when the time came. What? Up to get him? Juan was confused- he asked "what do you mean up to get me? " the hospital staff asked, "aren't you still in room 467?" Juan says, "NO! I was released last Friday!"
For three days- the hospital still showed Juan to be in his room... am I the only one who thinks this is preposterous? I hope that I get to see the bill to see how much Medicare was charged for the three days after Juan was discharged from Maine General Augusta Hospital...
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