French Word of the Day: incommode (awn-co-mode)- inconvenient

Because (clearly) I’m trying to use all my vacation days for 2013 before the end of January, I had another doctor’s appointment today.

My chemo sessions are going to be a bit longer than I thought.  They’re a 6 hour affair.  Why do they need 6 hours?  That’s a good question.  I’m guessing they’re taking me to a musical as part of the treatment.  Everyone gets some chemo at intermission.  (Sidenote: do you think my fellow chemo-ers would be receptive to a sing-along?  I think I should bring my guitar.)

The sessions will start either February 6th (two days after my birthday- happy birthday to me) or February 13th.  As soon as I heard this, I mentioned that I have a Lady Gaga concert on the 13th that I cannot possibly miss because, you know, I have my priorities straight.

I’m convinced that being a health specialist is the best job in the world; they never work.  Trying to schedule an appointment generally goes like this:

Patient: Okay, I work Monday through Friday from 8 am- 5 pm, like everyone else in America.  Do you have any times available when I’m not at work?  Preferably 7 am or a Saturday.

Scheduler: Well, Dr. X only has hours from 2-3 pm on every 3rd Wednesday of every other month.

Patient: Seriously?  That’s an hour, not hours.  How does this clinic even make money?  Do you only see 5 patients in total?  I just don’t feel like this is a good business model.

Scheduler: So does next month at 2:45 work for you?

Patient: Not really.  I have a huge presentation at work.  When’s the next appointment?

Scheduler: 2015.

Patient: Next month at 2:45 is fine.  I can find a different job.

Lupus patients see several doctors at once because our whole body is being attacked.  You basically have one doctor per organ, plus your main lupus doctor.  I have so many doctors that I constantly forget all their names.  This only becomes a problem when one of them has to send a letter to another.  (“I’ll let your dermatologist know.  What’s her name?” “Um… I should know this…. It starts with a ‘W’?  Does that sound right?  To be fair, she doesn’t know my name either; she has to look at my chart to figure it out.”)

Trying to organize all these doctors has become a military effort, but I’m up to the task.