...and other things they don't tell you.

Before making the transition to fundraising for academic medicine, I was working with women who were undergoing treatment for breast cancer. I understood some of what they were being put through and could also see the tole chemotherapy and/or radiation took ok them. I could not fathom that was only part of it.

Yesterday I spent a cumulative two hours on hold with the distribution pharmacy for Novartis. After several dropped calls, I wasn't any closer to getting my chemo delivery set up. Since I have to call and order 10 days or fewer before I run out, and today is Friday, I cannot wait if there is a delay with delivery. Today, I called early, and they were not open yet. I called back at 10am EST and got to spend one hour and twenty-seven minutes on hold before I could speak with someone to set up the first shipment. We confirmed a host of things, and I should receive the shipment Tuesday.

I'm getting to have all the jumping through hoops joy while getting mouth sores. A new one popped up on my interior lip last night and the one on my tongue won't go away and is making it challenging to annunciate. Yale told me to rinse with a solution of baking soda and water several times a day. If things don't calm down, I can get a prescription. So far, this is helping and alleviating some discomfort.

I had no idea the patients that I worked with and who had some days where frustration showed were dealing with bureaucracy muck while having a personal health crisis.