News! Results! And no, I wouldn't rip anyone's head off :p
So first thing, my dad was a huge help spending the night so he could take the dude to school, then he hung out here 'just in case the school called while we were away' which ended up being until nearly noon.
So on to McMaster. We arrived minutes before 8:00 (after getting lost. Perhaps we wil use the gps next time) to wait to get Pants' X-ray requisition - the receptionist let us in around 8:10 (I was totally pacing) and I budded in front of a brand new family there with their 5 day old baby. Jerk. I apologized - I was hoping to just grab the req and run over to X-ray, but we got fully checked in. Next time I will be more patient. On to X-ray, which was pretty uneventful and quick, then back to the clinic and we hardly sat down before we got called back ( I think I prefer these 8:30 am appointments for that, though the inconvenience with Dude needs to be balanced by my joy of not having to hang out in a hospital waiting room). We had a student doctor and a temperamental computer, so that stay was short, before we got sent back over for more X-rays in a bent over pose. We were back in the clinic and in front of the X-rays moments after returning to the clinic. There appeared to be progression of the curve, but the doctor didn't want to tell me us what the number was (but I saw it written down as ~60) which is roughly 18 degrees more than the first X-ray - without the 1 cm wood block correction since March.
This appointment I felt like I was getting more information - things like: surgery will be in January or February. She needs to have an MRI. Ok, maybe my head was going to pop off without more information. The doctor even suggested we visit his medical office, you know, just to show our faces - so we did. There we got a checklist with 6 things that need to happen before surgery. We told them that we would appreciate grouped appointments of possible so as to limit our travel. We were even offered paperwork for Ronald McDonald house, but I think we'll just do the drive and save that space for people who really need it.
And if that wasn't enough, by the time I was leaving the office tonight, we already had her MRI confirmed for this Sunday at 9:15 am - I mean wow! She doesn't even play professional sports.
So there. I feel like I know a little better what is coming and when it is coming. Avery seems ok, if not pleased that she will make it through Christmas before surgery - and with this schedule, should be mostly healed up by the time summer vacation rolls around.
I am really lucky at my work, I have been assured by my boss and the President that they will support me to take whatever time I may need to get through all of this, and that if there is one thing not to worry about it is work. But here's the thing - I totally do worry. At this point in time I am hopeful (or anxious) that the surgery will take place in February 2015. It is entirely possible my place of work will be gearing up for what could be a massive strike right around that time (and I happen to be the Director of HR responsible for managing our labour relations portfolio). Oh, and one of my team may also need to be off for totally legitimate reasons of her own - at a schedule that is also somewhat out of her control. And I mean we are planning and speaking of contingencies, but none of those options are as good as me being there.
So I worry. And complain that I can't seem to get a date or even a closer estimate of a date. And to be fair, I haven't made one phone call about any of this - I leave that to Andrew who is way more reliable and self-contained that I am. But seriously! The Paediatric Canadian Access Targets for Surgery (P-CATS) List suggests that assuming her scoliosis was "stable" she should have had surgery within 6 months of diagnosis, but here we are 6 months later and we still don't have a date. And I don't think it is stable. But I am not a doctor.
Our next appointment with the surgeon was just rescheduled (by snail mail in a letter addressed to my daughter!) for 2 weeks later. And I know, it is only 2 weeks, and I chose to believe that it is for some legitimate reason, but still - who doesn't use a phone or at least email?
And I don't think I shared that when I asked the surgeon about getting this scheduled at our last appointment, his reply was that he is only permitted to do this particular surgery once per month - so that is quite limiting. Apparently it is a big and costly surgery, so even though there are people needing it, the pediatric hospital we are dealing with prefers the less costly, less time consuming ones. Oh - and we were referred in FREAKING MAY!!! for a second opinion appointment at the leading pediatric hospital in the country and have yet to have that appointment booked either. So yay! free health care, unless you really need it, then get in line and maybe we'll get to you in a few months.
I just want a date. I mean is there a reason we can't get booked for February with a one-month move possibility? even that would be better than this. But I will push it again on October 20.
And lastly - donate blood if you can. My little girl may need it, and if not mine, someone else's. I can't - the risk of me being a walking mad-cow incubator still exists, and it seems cannot be confirmed (or denied) officially without a biopsy of my dead brain - see, you travel the world when you are young, and these are the consequences.