MRI fail

So, how did it go? 

I got up early, did my protein bar and medication, drank my Diet Mountain Dew.  I took my shower, I need to shave my legs tomorrow. 

I had packed a bag with some caffeine free diet sodas, snacks, etc.  The last time we went to the doctor I ran out of drinks, and was very hungry.  I fixed that this time. 

We left the house right as our ride pulled up, and off we went.  We checked in at the front desk and were directed to "Imaging".  I pushed Ron in the wheelchair.  The facility has linoleum floors, interspersed with raised laminate floors.  It is very aggravating having to "bump" the wheelchair up over the separations. 

Ron asked me once how I got him over bumps.  The back of the wheelchair has a little pole that sticks out, I put my foot on the pole and pull up on the handles with my arms.  That lifts the front of the wheelchair so I can get it over the obstruction. 

We got to imaging, handed over the Medicare card and ID, got them back, paid, and were given a big clipboard full of papers to fill out. 

I began working on them.  It went pretty well until I got to "describe the pain".  Ron was not very communicative:  "Bad". 

"Is it throbbing, stabbing?  Electric shocks?" 

"Bad". 

I finally got "intense aching" out of him and put that down.  I then wrote "It just hurts" with quotation marks. 

Of course they were running behind so we waited.  Ron put his ride "on hold" so we wouldn't have to deal with paratransit coming before the MRI.  Right as he did that someone called his name. 

We went to the room, Ron gave me his stuff, and I pushed the wheelchair, as directed, a careful 2 feet into the room.  The tech helped Ron stand and walk to the scanner bed.  Then I left. 

I didn't notice the time.  Wendy Williams came on.  I really dislike her.  I don't like gossips.  It is one thing to talk about what is going on in my life, another thing entirely to share sordid details of someone else's life.  Ron is aware I am writing about him. 

I did a mobile blog and liked that.  Then the receptionist called me up.  "He couldn't complete the MRI, he is in too much pain".  I worried that might happen.  "They want you to go back and pick him up.  Come see me for your refund when you get him." 

Well. 

I got Ron, the tech helped Ron walk to the wheelchair, which I left in the doorway.  They were talking, apparently they can do an MRI where they knock Ron out and put him in a machine.  That will have to do. 

I took Ron back to the receptionist and we got our money back.  That means we still have $200 to pay to meet our deductible. 

Ron took his ride "off" of hold.  They sent someone out 45 minutes later, not too bad considering.  The van had 2 employees, one of them was training the other.  I couldn't tell who was the trainer.  They pulled up in the wrong place, with a massive attitude, ranting about "wrong addresses".  No, the address applies to the entire building.  It doesn't have a separate address for each door. 

But ignorant people tend to get hostile and attack, if they can't figure something out.  We've been to this place dozens of times and they have always figured it out.  Just these guys. 

I told her where the pupusa place was and she went the wrong way down the main road, almost to the freeway.  The other one had to tell her to turn around.  If you are going to #200 and all the numbers are well over #300 and climbing, you are probably going the wrong way, and all the numbers were clearly marked on the buildings.  Agh. 

It was literally, one block away, but not safe to push Ron there.  Maybe she wanted to rack up the mileage on her trip sheet, I don't know. 

We finally got there.  One driver complained when I told her pupusas have cheese.  The other one said she loved cheese.  Maybe she will come back. 

We went in, they were happy to see us.  I ordered two beans-and-cheese and Ron ordered a burrito to go.  I gave him a bite of mine when it came and he ordered a beans-and-cheese for himself.  They are really good.  It's not any one ingredient, it's how they meld. 

We ate our food, happily, the Spanish version of the Discovery channel blaring in the background.  I drank 2 cans of Diet Dr Pepper, which came back to haunt me when I laid down for my nap.  The caffeine made it a little harder to sleep. 

Ron called Lou the cab driver to take us home.  I told Ron I had found some money for the business in my fannypack.  I keep "my" money in one compartment, and "Business" money in a separate one. When I opened it, I found a nice little sum.  It's not mine, it must be his. 

I don't steal so I gave it to him, we used some of it to pay Lou.  Lou says he might try a pupusa one day. 

We went home, then I took my nap.  I had a pretty good nap but borderline PTSD nightmares so I woke up.  Usually, I am pretty good at realizing, during a nightmare, that I am having a nightmare and it isn't real.  Usually, I can either "fight back" or wake myself up. 

I would have liked a longer nap, though, but that wasn't happening. 

I didn't do any housework today, I am being lazy.  Ron just told me I need to get up at 3 AM in order to meet our repairman tomorrow. 

Which gives me about a half hour before I have to go to bed.  I want something salty.