HAVE THEY NEVER HEARD OF HANDICAPPED?

We did survive another day of torture!

I hired a neighbor to ride along yesterday when we went back to the clinic and for further tests. She would have gone without pay, but I do not believe in taking advantage of a neighbor's good nature. She works hard for her $ and she is worth every cent she is paid.

The appointment was exactally on time, in fact a couple of minutes early. However, the appointment to clean the wounds, take vitals, ask dozens of questions, then the doctor's viewing and pronouncements, and the treatment tech doing his job actually took an hour and a half. When I saw they were running way over time, I spoke to the tech working on Jack and then the receptionist who called the hospital and informed them we would be late but were on our way! Then the tech said it would take 20 minutes to finish, the receptionist called the hospital and asked if they would be removing the bandages, yes they would, so she stopped the treatment, and then there was the wrapping the open wounds, etc, preparing the medications so I COULD DO THE TREATMENT, and we were finally on our way.

I asked the neighbor to drive and she took us right to the door of outpatient care and Jack and I rushed to reception to get out all the cards, answer all the questions, get a wrist band ( which really shook Jack thinking he was being admitted) then shuttled off to a waiting area. We had time for a restroom break, with neighbor to stand guard at men's restroom, then into another waiting area. We were called in a group, of course Jack is frustrated and could not get chair to work propertly, he went too fast and then too slow, and finally I had to run ahead and tell the "tour leader" that we were having trouble keeping up...... again she is totally into the walking patients...........and totally ignoring Jack's problem of keeping up. Because of Jack's chair's size we had to take two elevators, think neighbor had a chance to remind the tour guide that not all of were walking patients! Another waiting room but a tech came immediately and got us.

The test was absolutely torture for Jack to lay on a hard table with the steel hip, which was already giving him lots of pain, but the techs here were helpful, patient, and into helping the patient be comfortable as possible. I gave Jack medications half-way into tests and he began to relax.

Neighbor picked up the car and I stayed with Jack, then we were off to a quick stop for hamburger and buns for the neighbor's hungry boys, and she drove home. Of course the evening chores were yet to be done, feed the cats, chase off pit bull dog who was chasing cats, owner came with rope finally, do the treatment on Jack's leg (which involved boiling water and cooling it) and prepare something for us to eat. Our last meal had been at 9 in the morning and it was 7 in the evening.

Yes, I did make a statement to one of the techs in the doctor's office about the lack of time permitted for a handicapped to respond to different situations. That even an able bodied person with a good power walk would have difficulty,etc. He said that discussions about the care of handicapped people, facilities available, and other considerations had often been the topic of discussion but not much was changed! At the hospital the complaint was the wound care center was always sending them patients that had wounds just dressed and had to be undressed for the tests and they had no way to cover the wounds.....etc....that the wound center had been asked to send patients first for tests and then to have wounds treated but nothing had changed.

Communicaton seems to barely exist between the wound center and hospital even if they are under the same guidelines and administration.

TODAY WE GO AGAIN.........first to VOTE.........then lab to do blood work..........then to shop if there is any energy left! The neighbor asked to go along because she wanted to shop also without her family along...lol.........are we that good of company?

I haven't slept much but have an extra driver and person if I need help.... so wish us luck!