Appointment with DIEP Plastic Surgeon and other stuff

So here was my day today:

Get up, feed the dogs, bring in the paper, eat breakfast. Pretty normal stuff.

Check email, note from Dr. M. Yes he had considered Dr. W. for the DIEP referral. Was still checking with her office.

5 minutes later, another email from Dr. M. He sent an e-consult to Dr. W.

Called Office of the Recorder for Santa Clara County. Sat through 20 minute message which only led to another 20 minute message and no address. While listening, went online and found the address and mapquested it. Hung up without getting information.

Went to meet my friend for lunch - Cuban food - yum!

Went to Hedding Street to Hall of Records to get a copy of my birth certificate.

Took birth certificate to Social Security. Waited a very long time to see an agent. Many smelly people waiting to be seen today. Was told again it would take 4 - 6 months for a decision. Asked if they could make it urgent and tried to explain issue with COBRA expiring and the need for a SS decision in order to extend it. SS very unsympathetic and stuck to the 4 - 6 month requirement. Ugh!

Finally got home. Message from Kaiser Hayward. Called back. They want to schedule appt. with Dr. W. but oops! no appointments left in Feb. How about March? Oops again! Cannot schedule March. It is not open yet. Will open on Monday. I ask, "March when?" and they say March 1st. Sounds good to me so they tell me to call first thing on Monday to schedule. So now that is another 3 weeks added on to this whole thing. 6 weeks to see Dr. M and then 3 more weeks to see Dr. W. for a total of 9 weeks! Over 2 months just to talk to the Plastic Surgeons without a decision or surgery date! Ridiculous. I just hope it works out with Dr. W. or I will really be at a loss. Just need to call early on Monday - before my Herceptin treatment.

Called the COBRA people. They were even more useless than Social Security and didn't seem to know what was going on at all. Might have helped if she spoke a little English so that we could understand each other.

Rushed off to Redwood City to meet the DIEP flap lady and check out her scars and new body part. Very well done. I even guessed the wrong boob when I saw the reconstruction with her bra on.

Headed home and remembered my friend Debbie lived somewhere over that direction so called her and turned out that her street was just off of the one I was on and only a few blocks away. What a coincidence! Went to see the dream house that she and her husband have spent 6 years building. It is so beautiful and would certainly be my dream house also. I loved it. We talked and ate for awhile and I finally went home.

And now it is bedtime. I am exhausted!