S is for Schedule

Prior to having cancer, something I would have never considered being an issue is scheduling appointments.  Cancer and the associated health failings I have experienced have really created some serious issues with scheduling all the various appointments and procedures.

When I first was diagnosed, I was placed on two separate treatments, Interferon-2alpha and Sandostatin LAR.  The interferon was given on a weekly schedule and I dropped by the hospital once a week at about 4:00 for my shot while Sandostatin-LAR came every 4 weeks and was given at the same time.  Scheduling wise, this was fairly simple as the visits showed up at the same time and my doctors appointments were overloaded with the sandostatin/interferon appointments.

This was quite easy to manage as everything happened on Thursday afternoons.  The only hard part was remembering whether or not I had an additional doctors appointment for that particular Thursday.  After the first two years, I began giving myself the Interferon injections to myself and I now only had to go to the doctors office every 4 weeks.

Stephanie and I found it quite funny when we saw a recent commercial for a new heart medication.  The commercial talked about how the new medication no longer required a monthly blood test.  Monthly?  Really?  Blood tests can be done almost anywhere and there are labs or clinics in most cities and small towns that can perform this service.  Once a month?  Wow, what I wouldn't give to be back on the once a months schedule again.

Things have gotten quite a bit more hairy lately with the degradation of my kidneys and a 'normal' set of appointment now include:

• Oncologist every 6 weeks
• Nephrologist every 4-6 weeks
• Aranisp injection every 2 weeks
• Sandostatin LAR injection every 3 weeks
• Hemoglobin and Hematocrit blood draw 3 days before every Aranisp injection
• Basic metabolic panel 5 days before Nephrologist appointment
• Urologist appointment every 8 weeks
• Ultrasound of AV graft with vascular surgeon appointment every 3 months

With my work out at Schriever, it is a minimum of 45 minutes (and often a full hour) to get to or from work for any of these appointments which means an appointment can take 2.5 hours out of the middle of a work day.  I try to make sure they are either late in the day or early in the morning but doctors and their staff are not always accommodating (11:30 appointments almost ruin the whole day).

On top of this, there are a continuum of other appointments and procedures.  In the last 3 months, I have additionally had

• a CT scan
• an Octroscan (takes 1.5 workdays)
• Ultrasound of the kidneys
• bilateral stent swap (2 work days)
• Complete metabolic panel blood draw
• Infusion of two units of whole blood (one work day)
• Carcinoid blood draw
• Redraw of a messed up H&H blood draw
• Appointments with an infectious disease doctor
• Blood draws to rule out blood infection
• 'Normal' dentist appointment
• Emergency dentist appointment for cracked tooth (replaced with crown)
• Several chest x-rays
• Lung tap to drain fluid

Next week and the following week, I will also have iron infusions.  It just drives me crazy trying to keep up with what appointment I am supposed to be going to today and how I am supposed to get my 40 hours of work in this week.  I have been doing 10 hour days followed by 4 hour days and days off to get all my hours in during each pay period, often coming up short and having to use PTO.  No one can say that I don't take advantage of all the health benefits available and the fact I won't die is, I am sure, an annoyance to the insurance company!

I have been extremely fortunate that my work schedule is fairly flexible and Metron has been flexible with my time as well.  I have just crested 80 hours of PTO and am relieved since that puts me past the point necessary to go on short term disability when/if I have my next surgery.  Of course, ski season is coming and I am going to want even more of that PTO for fun!

Both Stephanie and I keep my schedule both on her phone and on my work calendar.  With Riley in high school soccer, Forest in club soccer, and River in club swimming, we usually need to sit down on Sunday and discuss who is picking up whom and at what time and how this fits in with my doctor appointments.  Four drivers with three cars helps quite a bit but, even then, the kids are forced to look for rides with friends.

Yeah, I know it sounds like whining (and maybe it is) but does require quite a bit of planning to manage all of these appointments.  This is, somewhat, just what happens when you get old or ill but I am extremely thankful that I am still able to work in spite of all the appointments!