An afternoon in the life of a couple

Appointment 2:15 Dr. C. Ottawa Hospital Trip #37

People have been asking, and it is good news. We have more time, the disease trajectory is slow, and we're not back for another 6 months.  I take notes on the iPad. Then, we review it later. It makes a difference in exploiting the healthcare system to its full potential. I have lots of advice from our journey through Ontario healthcare these past couple of years.

Laugh, a lot. Be silly. Take stuff to do – for you KNOW you will wait! Take snacks, regular medications, and water. Magazines. Selfies are fun. An iPad lets you take notes.

11:45 a.m. We left house, we usually give it 2 hours for a 90-km trip, including detours, construction, car incidents, and finding a parking spot. We went through Smiths Falls, North Gower, up went up Greenbank Rd. I spotted the Half Moon Bay development, huge, house for sale. Interesting story! I like to combine research with the drive.

Our first half hour was interesting, as we sat at a stop sign. I was watching an older woman drive slowly by, with several cars tailing her. It didn't look good. She passed by, as well as her entourage. A couple of speed demons passed her further along the way, she was doing 20 km/hr below the posted speed limit. I couldn't blame them. Then, we made it to Smiths Falls, driving behind a long line of pissed off drivers, to highway #43 and William St. (see Google image below - from the opposite side of the intersection). She was in the lane ahead of us, to go through town, when she suddenly veered and made a right turn, crossing just in front of a pickup truck turning right. These are the things that stress me out!

Google street view of Smiths Falls

Barrhaven was busy with construction. Riverside was crazy, too, with a motorcycle zipping in and out of traffic, speeding. Hubby wants credit for his photos. He's getting better at drive-by shootings!
Our Enroute show our driving distances and time.

1:30 p.m. arrived at the hospital parking lot, it was really full!

1:45 A long walk across the hospital, past many cheerful volunteers who will help guide you. If we stand, peering at the signage in the hospital many staff have stopped to send us in the right direction: we've been in for MRIs, CT Scans, Bone scan, blood tests galore. We were quickly ushered into a room by a French-speaking nurse, who pronounced his last name correctly! You know you're in the city when...

1:52 After high hopes, we're still waiting, hubby reading The Economist. I'm playing with iPad photos and other apps.


2:18 p.m. - still here, heard 3 other patients go in to other waiting rooms. He has good staff, to get everyone processed efficiently, prep work prior to the appointment, etc. We really like him.
The healthcare system isn't broken. Each hospital and each doctor has responsibility. Our man is tireless, and has phoned us at 9:00 at night with information. Ours takes his responsibility seriously. We take some, too; ensuring test results are in, taking notes, briefing ourselves prior to an appointment, debriefing, formulating questions, talking to our GP if we have questions, as well.

2:30 I half-opened the door, as it was getting stuffy, we both sneezed. Then, I heard patient #4 being ushered into a room. We wait.
More playing with the iPad apps. I like mirror, and hallway...hubby reads.
 

2:40 Always, someone comes in to get updates from us for the files, before the good doctor comes in. Helen, a 3rd year med. student, asked hubby for current symptoms (none), then goes over our recent results: MRI (positive for cancer on mesorectal lymph nodes), biopsy on the floor surrounding the surgical site (negative).

All files are on the system,
which helps track tests.

Thankfully, hubby'd gone to his GP, in between the MRI report info getting to both our GP and our Urologist, as there was some question about a statement. Our GP asked for clarification by the MRI staff, which was made clearer by the time we visited our Dr. C. It's frustrating waiting weeks after a test for information. You have to let it go, if you cannot access the simple data. Live each day to the fullest.

That said, you can always talk to your GP, who will have test reports, such as the PSA blood test (which is up post-prostatectomy – it's slowly creeping, just slowly, though). This is helpful and relieves pressure. They lost one test result last time, from an outside agency.

2:59 Dr. C. arrived and we had a conversation about next steps: back in 6 months. This is good, as we've been going in every 3 months, which is stressful and tiring, as you can see.

Dr. C.

3:20 p.m. We were back to car, $13 parking, heaven knows hospitals need the money. Happily, we were prior to rush hour traffic. This usually adds another half hour to a trip, although I was passed by rural rush hour demons, trying to get home in the Ottawa Valley in record time.

Ghost bike decorated for Canada Day

4:59 p.m. Fort Hemlock Pub, (more photos to follow) where we met the owner, Scott Prout, quite a keener, trying to capture photos of his heron. I'm so glad we can afford to eat out on our way home. I'd be too tired to cook. The staff are great, and they help us figure out what hubby can and cannot eat with his food intolerances. (If you suspect you have issues, go to a Naturopath. Our Dr. Jenn is terrific, and now we know which foods he must avoid (yeast, eggs, dairy). This has made all the difference in the world, as we traipse about the city.

I drove us into the appointment,
he's still reading,
hubby drove from here, home!

6:29 Down to Rideau Ferry Store for 'candy' and home again. There were a few fun photos, I'm not driving anymore, as wine was involved in my dinner!


We arrived home safely, more so than this poor man!

Into Ottawa Hospital for MRI #2

Lots of people write about their journey through a cancer diagnosis. This man died this month. He, like we do, used humour as good medicine. He, too, loathed the battle terminology. It isn't a fight, when it is your own body producing cancer cells. It is a journey and we have learned a lot about ourselves. We have met much sicker and more frail people along the way. We are grateful for what we have now. All staff have been amazing at three different hospitals.

1:45 p.m. Thursday, May 28 – Left the house, took back route, past The Swan, through North Gower. Easy drive, although some traffic. Another of those dreaded Ghost Bikes! This was from Laurie Stano. We've passed a few on our way into healthcare appointments. This being MRI #2, and trip #XXXV.

2:30 –  arrived at the MRI office - between modules M and O, another form to fill in. Yes, each visit a new form.
Then we sat and waited.
Another couple: The man came out, wearing his lovely hospital gown. His wife giggled!
"C'est beau." I tell him, they were francophone. We often laugh about such at these visit.

Selfie!

"On y va." Al says.
 "Sexy." said Al. His wife mentioned his droopy drawers. A tall, thin man, his boxers were hanging off his frame.
Hubby read. I fooled around with the iPad photo apps.
I took our usual selfie. The francophone woman laughed. Hubby said not to worry about me, I'm harmless!
Another couple arrived.

 4:10 –  JB was taken into the other room. Lovely outfit. Another man's name is called. "Already?" he asked.
     "Well, you can sit and wait some more," said Al. He is droll!
Off hubby went, into the mysterious other room, with the noisy machines.
I asked Al where the nearest washroom was. Right in front of me! Sigh, again. How could I not have seen it?!
I knew I was in the city. I couldn't find the tap handles. It was automatic. Good hygiene, you don't have to touch it!
I liked the directions on the door handle for locking and unlocking it!

5:14  – still waiting...  Did some cross stitch. Thumbs hurt.
5:17  –  I can hear the machines. Stopping, starting. Weird noises. Floors were mopped as the evening staff comes in.
5:30  – out he came! He was to sit for 5 minutes, with the tape on his injection site, to ensure he wasn't dizzy or bleeding. He thinks he had a nap. That's good. It's a noisy machine.
Some rush-hour traffic, you can see the photo from Hunt Club. Sigh. Why did I take Hunt Club?
I choose to use River Rd., as the homes are amazing mansions, beside the river with glimpses of same.
6:30  – Dinner at The Swan, the marina looked ready for summer. Not bad food, lovely server, Courtney. I hadn't been there in ages. Too chilly for outdoors, with a cool breeze, but another time!
8:39  – Home just before sunset. Lots of farmers out spraying fields. I wonder what we are eating. They worry about Neonicotinoid pesticides in Ontario, hurting bees and other pollinators.
Once safely home, I ran down to the pond to find the ducklings had jumped from the nest and were gone! Bittersweet, we'd hatched 12 Wood ducks, no infertile eggs in the nest, which I cleaned in case there is another brood going in. I think it's late, though. Duck box #2 has another brood, set to hatch mid-June.