I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman
Entry 1 8:52 a.m.
I am the only patient in Kaiser Cap Hill urgent care. Got checked in at 730. Saw PA Hana at 745. Waiting for an x-ray since. Ruling out a break.
Picture taking has commenced and completed. I am returned to my exam room.
The orderly who took me down to Radiology and back up to the exam room looked at me standing up from with the wheelchair to transfer to a bed with a 'He is Risen" look of amazement in his eyes. Don't think that can be good. The PA will be back and telling me the results soon enough. Meanwhile. Fuck Kaiser.
Entry 2 9:44 p.m.
Kaiser. I could dedicate an entire journal to their fuckery. I got x-rays today, woo-hoo. Then, reminiscent of my visit where they determined I had, oh, no wait, hadn't had a heart attack (I went in after injuring my shoulder in a slip and fall and then reinjuring it some weeks later), a nurse comes in with a knee immobilizer before the P.A. had come to tell me the results of the x-ray and her diagnosis. I already knew nothing was broken, I hiked for a week on the wretched knee. Had it been broken, it would have swollen like a grapefruit and been unusable. What I need is an MRI, it is soft-tissue damage. I am instructed to follow-up with my family doctor next week, which is a complete joke, to see if it hasn't healed and then to determine whether I need the MRI. The soonest I can see my doctor, based on his calendar, is in 3 weeks. I. hate. Kaiser. The written discharge instructions don't tell me how long I need to wear this device. More frustrating, I told the P.A. I injured my already fucked up right knee because I had to overuse it without a brace (put braceon left knee after injury) during the week-long excursion, and she didn't bother to look at the right knee, even after I asked her to do so, despite her, "I bet you reinjured it." She did tell me I have about zero percent fat on my knee, which sounds awesome. That is, until you are then told its likely, given that, that you could have suffered soft tissue damage falling on rocks with no cushion. Duh. It's why an x-ray is stupid and why I needed an MRI. I am told that at a minimum I likely have a hematoma.
So, there you are. I am having a helluva year, nevertheless. I have the love of my family, our kids, our dogs and my friends, a decent job, a great home and no debt outside of the house. For what more could I ask? Exhausted, after the early day. Off to sleep.
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Hoping for some kind of good news...
ReplyDeleteAshley,
DeleteThanks. I woke to knee pain last night in both knees, but a bit of ibuprofen sent me right back to sleep. I am looking forward to open enrollment next month, so I can walk out, or hobble out, of Kaiser.
Glad you're getting out of Kaiser! I hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDelete