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.