I just want to know WHEN!!! Is that too much to ask?

So, part two of ‘Carry On Cancer’, as Sara likes to call it. Back in July I was told that my liver operation would be in September, because of there being not many surgeons around during summer holidays in August. In fact, I was told that the op would probably be in the first half of September and that I would be notified by telephone. And well, here it is the 2nd of September and I still have no idea when they are going to slice and dice my poor liver . . .

This morning I had two pre-op appointments – one for an EKG and another with the anaesthetist. Then I was supposed to see the oncologist who would decide whether I was going to have another chemo session before my operation. The EKG went okay but when I got to the anaesthetist’s the nurse said – “but where is your history? You have to see your oncologist first and then they send your history here”.  Well fuck. Nobody had told me that.  It was just by chance that I had an appointment with the oncologist later the same morning, so the nurse (Isabel, who was very nice, btw) told me to go over to oncology, explain the situation and insist on seeing an oncologist immediately.

And imagine my surprise when that worked! Within ten minutes I was chatting to the doctor (a new one I hadn’t seen before) and he told me that if the operation was going to be in September then I wouldn’t have another chemo session until afterwards. But if it was going to be any later then I should have a session this week.  Then he gave me my history (huge flippin’ envelope that weighed about ten kilos) and I trundled back to the anaesthetist’s. Nurse Isabel was very surprised that I’d managed to get all that done within half an hour and said she’d get me in next … which she did.

The anaesthetist was a middle-aged no-nonsense sort of woman. And everything was going well until she asked me why I hadn’t done the blood test for my (probable) transfusion.  I told her that nobody had told me what THAT piece of paper was for (I have so many of them) and so I had to go for another blood test after just having had one yesterday for the chemo. Bleh.

AND THEN – following the anaesthetist’s advice – I went over to the main building and found the north wing on the third floor, where apparently all the liver doctors hang out, and there was my surgeon! So I said – “Hey, Dr Marín, what about my surgery date?”.  He started going on about how the waiting list after the summer holidays might mean a delay, blah, blah, blah … but I finally got him to promise that he would check into this and have someone call me tomorrow.

So although it was a pretty crazy morning I’ve taken care of all the pre-op stuff and should know soon about my operation date and whether I need to have another chemo session this week. And although I had to do a couple of extra things, getting in to see the oncologist so quickly shaved at least two hours off the waiting time. In fact, since we were so busy going here and there and not really waiting for long in any one place, Nog & I didn’t have time to take out the travel Scrabble game.

After it was all over I texted Sara & Steve and we arranged to meet for a cold beer at Campanario, which led to a nice tapa lunch at La Estrella, and then we all headed home for a siesta.

And so, I should have my operation date tomorrow. I’m really hoping that it will be sooner than later and that I won’t have to have a chemo session while S&S are here. Fingers crossed!