In Trouble Again

Don’t worry, the treatments are going great.  The cancer numbers are near zero and I’m not currently sick.  The trouble I’m in has to do with my Nurse and Physician’s Assistant.  They are both extremely competent and caring providers.  They know every aspect of my treatment and seem to care deeply that I make a full recovery.  But it seems that nearly every time I have a clinic, I get in trouble with them.  It’s always about the same thing, I don’t call in to triage with every little health issue.  This time, they asked me the usual thirty questions, “Have you had a fever, are your feet bloating, do you have a rash, have you had nausea,” etc.  I’m always mostly honest.  The answers are, “No, no, no with an occasional yes.”  This time I let them know about my vomiting marathon on Saturday.

I said “I did vomit on Saturday.”  “More than once?” asked the PA.  I replied a simple “Yes.”  “How many times?” she wanted to know.  “About fifteen,” I answered.  At this point I braced for what I knew would happen next but I was ready with the best comeback ever.  “Did you call triage?”  she asked sternly.  I proudly answered with a “Yes,” expecting to get praise for the first time when this question was asked.  But they’re smart, very smart and whenever I’m in their presence, I’m not so much.  

Her next question was simply “When?”  At this point, I knew I was beaten again.  The finger wagging would begin as soon as I answered that question, and did it ever.  My voice cracked like a first grader who just got caught with a frog in his pocket.  “Sunday,” I said.  

Yes, I called the day AFTER I was sick.  The scolding that followed was stronger than that of my three previous appointments.  If I had called during the sickness, they would have told me to go directly to the hospital.  Every time I’ve been to the hospital, they keep me there with their ridiculous hospital gowns for days and sometimes weeks.  Since I did make the call, even though it was late, I asked for half credit for at least calling at some point.  They were not willing to concede that I did anything right at all.  

The truth is, as they have explained over and over, as a transplant patient getting sick with a fever or vomiting can be a symptom of something very serious.  In some cases, the results could be fatal.  I promised to do better in the future and I will.  However, I’m certain they won’t believe me until it actually happens.