Tuesday 7 February 2017

Trip to the city

Trip #53 Feb. 6th appointment

10:50 a.m.
The January trip was cancelled from January ice storm. We're down to visits every six months in this watch and wait phase. Medical Trip #50 into the city, was a delightful day in July. This was just cold and dreary.

It wasn't a propitious start, having to move the recycling bin! The skies were dark, we drove out of the clouds. We thought we'd give ourselves extra time and eat on the road. Normally we allow two hours for the trip, as parking can be iffy.


12:03 p.m.

After an hour and a half, and 96 km, we arrived at Robbie's for lunch.

By the time we finished lunch the clouds had followed us to the city. Sunglasses were put away.

The restaurant is on the east part of the city, right near the hospital. We have had visits here since November, 2013, when the pre-surgery stuff began. Surgery was in Jan., 2014! Follow-ups have been every 3 months, until the latter part of last year.
Nice decor. Their staff are so well-trained. Fresh food. Hubby can get his sans dairy, yeast, eggs. Yummy.
I love the fireplace in the middle of the room.


1:07 p.m.

We parked and were in waiting room at this point. There were 6 people and/or pairs waiting. It was quite a room. I began playing around with the iPad. It has these fun apps for doing artsie treatments of photos, i.e. Toon Camera. Sadly, while we were an hour early, they don't take us in order of arrival. We waited and waited. I had my lovely bag with my art pencils, courtesy of dear Jean, but I wasn't in the mood to sketch.


Three people were sleeping in their chairs. People shuffled in, some with walkers, others with canes. Everyone went ahead of us. People drifted out, test requisitions in hand, and more drifted in.

 

2:08 p.m.

A woman was playing videos from SNL on her iPad, husband said too loudly. She was surprised! I didn't need the aggravation. Happily she stopped. Then she hauled out her smart phone, but was quietly texting! Another couple were regaling someone they knew with their trips around the world. They were trying to one up each other. You just want to throw something, sometimes.

2:40 p.m.

Into room with Dr. C. He asked the usual questions. No bone pain. Will do a bone scan. Physical in 6 months, repeat PSA test (2.7). Kidney function testing. Blood work a week before tests. Chest X-ray, bone scan #4  (Civic Hospital Bone Scan#3),  CT Scan #6 (CT Scan (#5). He is smart, fast, and efficient. He is a gentleman, too. Shakes hubby's, then my hand. You can hear him talking to some hard-of-hearing and more frail people with dignity and respect.


2:45 p.m.

After our 5 minutes with the good doc, we paid our parking ($13), and got on the road. On the way home, there were lots of ducks on the Ottawa river. We were stopped at the light. It's important to enjoy the scenery! We couldn't get close, although we could stop. We just want to hightail it out of the city before rush hour.


For reference... archived duck photos!


4:00 p.m. Home again, jiggety jig.

Then there was the replacement of a culvert. Happily, there were no incidents. The snow increased on the drive home, but I took it easy. The traffic slowed behind me.

We arrived home and they hadn't taken our garbage. Dang.

To relax, we watched one of our CDs, a series called Wallander. A calm end to a long day.
Hubby made himself a wrap, I made a salad, as our lunch meal was wonderful.

11 comments:

Phil Slade said...

It's good that both you and hubby make the very best of that regular trip. Lesser folk would let it get them down. Good on you both.

Cat Lover said...

Long day for you. Glad everything went alright.

carol l mckenna said...

Oh I remember those types of trips with my hubby ~ glad to be together but makes for al long day ~ You make an adventure out of it with lunch and neat photos ~ thanks ~ lots of healing hugs to you and hubby ~ ^_^

Wishing you a Happy and Peaceful Week ~ ^_^

Nancy J said...

I so love the way you make a hospital visit into something so special.Your words sing with delight, taking in everything you see on the way. A long wait for a short visit!!! Love those bags!!! So glad they are coming in handy, as that was exactly what I thought when I was sewing. I might need to do one for myself, as my gammy knee is not improving, actually getting worse!!! Hugs to you BOTH in your snowy part of the world.

Christine said...

Glad the appointment was successfully accomplished!

troutbirder said...

Hurry up and wait. We do similarly at huge Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. There is something about waiting boredom that for both spouse and myself is so exhausting. Three days of waiting and testing as a volunteer at the Aging and Alzheimer Research Center.

William Kendall said...

I've only been in the General Hospital a couple of times, and not in that area. Yes, the ducks have been making good use of the open water down around Billings Bridge.

Red said...

You've developed a good system for a rather taxing day.

Anvilcloud said...

Wallander. My least fun series, but great if it works for you.

Sounds like a tough day, but you seem to have coped well. Cheers.

Hootin Anni said...

Wow....what a day trip. Much needed of course, and you both made the most of your time. I have to have the 'no cholesterol' eggs also, but once in a while I splurge and eat the "real" stuff.

All that snow, the highway construction would have worn me down, but you prevailed and enjoyed the short stop to watch the bird life!!

Your doctor sounds like a true nice person.

Gill - That British Woman said...

it is long days when you have to go for appointments, but as you say they have to be done. We were pooped the other day just going back and forward to the doctors and our trip was only a four hour trip, there and back and at appointments.