7/30/24

 All day felt like a Monday to me. So I was off a little bit. 

The hospital called to go over prep for Thursday’s appointment. As they were telling me everything, I asked if he was getting bloodwork. This is our first annual exam in Rochester. She was really friendly and nice. She was patient with my questions and I liked her kindness.

The lady said “nope” and I asked “why”? She couldn’t give me an answer, but just said he “wasn’t on the schedule” for bloodwork.

I had the gut feeling something was going to be missed and pressed a little more. I explained that typically at his annual Ethan would get extensive bloodwork. Since we were new to this facility, I asked when all of his extensive screening would be done, that has historically done at his annual exam, just so I could understand this new timeline/process.

They shared they would be putting in an IV ( what a perfect time to collect blood and save Ethan a poke).

After more pressing, I was given 3 numbers to a Transplant Nurse to call to ask my questions. I got the office number, her desk number and her personal cell phone. I am not sure I should have gotten all those numbers. 

I called her desk and addressed her by name. I told her who I was and asked her about the bloodwork. She didn’t have Ethan on her schedule.

After some poking around, they had Ethan scheduled for bloodwork next week. Who wants two pokes? I asked if he could have it drawn at his appointment on Thursday. She shimmied him onto her schedule. The power of being an advocate. 

I can’t even be upset with how many moving pieces there are to these annual visits with multiple tests, multiple places we have to go that day.

I tried to schedule his doctor’s appointment as a telehealth visit but they can’t do the annual doctor’s visit with telehealth due to some insurance thing. 

Ethan was super pissed, but it is, what it is.

My mom and Gene hosted our family over with a fabulous steak dinner for my birthday. It was SO good! We had cake and ice cream afterward. Yay!

I received the epic gift of a FART BLASTER! This satisfied my inner seventh grade humor in so many ways. You can “flavor” the farts to smell like either popcorn or bananas. Then you could puff them across the room. It would make a silly farting noise and light up. I hit Paul right in between the eyes with a “fart ring” that smelled like popcorn. What a fun toy! I blasted everyone so they could smell it. The entire room smelled like popcorn.

I took a picture of the Fart Blaster and Paul was being a dingus in the background, without even trying.

I am flattered that my family spotted a fart blaster and immediately knew that I needed this. The best part was that a smaller version was found and my Mom advocated for the bigger one. I can’t wait to confuse the dogs with it.