This week seems to be about medical checkups and defeat by tech. The lab work is perfectly fine, results in one day from testing. So far so good. The radiology world needs work.
I had scheduled a bone density scan and mammogram for one visit yesterday. My patient account showed both. Then a little while before I left the house, two rapid fire texts requiring me to start checking in online.
Went to their website, filled out screen after screen of info, including dates I had to look up. Then the site crashed. Went back in and found there's no save function, all to do again.
No time now, so I noted the messages had said if I couldn't get through the site, come in early and do it in person. Translation: our site is buggy, you're a guinea pig, we mean beta tester.
Did that and found once at the reception desk, that their system had no record of the mammogram appointment. I was already anxious to be sure this one was Medicare- covered, since I'd had diagnostics last year and wondered if that ruled out screening coverage this soon.
One tech refused to call my doctor to check, another overruled her and did call to establish the rx and find out which kind, couldn't reach anyone
Sooooo I said let's do the bone density test anyway, and the tech held out an iPad with many questions to answer. Tan lettering on a cream background. Tiny type. I explained I couldn't read it, too small, too faint lettering.
So she sighed, what a nuisance this patient is, and set up an area where she could read the questions to me for yes no answers. Finally did the bonescan. More questions about exactly what was prescribed. The test itself no problem at all, as usual.
By the time I left, no answer on the mammo. Doctor's nurse called with good lab results, was exasperated, said she'd definitely sent both Rxs in one message, had now sent it again. So I suppose I call and schedule again.
As to coverage, radiology says ask your doctor, Medicare website says ask your doctor, doctor's office says ask radiology. I'm going with the hope that screening is covered despite the intervening diagnostics. It will be disastrous if I get billed after this, but I hope my interpretation works.
After that the day improved dramatically, with a matinee of The Remains of the Day, which I had seen, or thought I had, many years ago. I found I couldn't remember it at all, so I enjoyed it hugely as a new experience. What acting. Every part brilliantly acted, even the smallest
Putting up the book first, because I don't like books to be overcome by the movies they inspired. Merchant Ivory movies are always so good. Here the themes of missed connections, lives lived ill-advisedly, late attempts to remedy early judgments, are all so timely.
And, at the library where I'd seen my movie again in solitary splendor, with captions enabled at my request, I picked up this book
