Saturday, November 24, 2012

Wee, Wee, Wee - All I do is pee!!

This was an email that I sent to a fellow Cushies that was just beginning the process a couple months after me.  She was having a really tough time and was asking about the "pee test."  Like me, she was given little information and feeling very low and out of control about all that was going on. 

Here is a piece of one of the email replies that I sent to her:


Funny story...(I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was ready to kill someone!)

I had a difficult time turning in the first 24hr urine sample that I had to do. I returned to the hospital lab two floors below my Endo as I was instructed to submit my specimen. I was a bit embarrassed. Silly, I know, but I wasn't yet accustomed to carrying around a bright orange container filled with urine. I just knew everyone was starting.

ANYWAY....upon arriving at the desk, the nurse asked for my paperwork from admitting. I explained that I was only dropping off the 24 hr. test. She got really snotty and explained that I had to get admitted before they could help me. I tried to explain that the Dr. had sent the lab orders the day before, and that I was only dropping off. She was really rude, and demanded that I leave her desk and go to admitting. So I picked up my specimen and turned to leave. At this point the nurse yelled, "YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT OUT OF THIS OFFICE!" I was confused, but agreed to leave the jar with her while I ran down the hall.

After about 30 minutes of trying to explain that I was only dropping off a 24 hour urine test to the hospital admissions clerk, I finally gave up in the name of keeping my sanity and let them actually ADMIT me to the hospital since I figured this was the only way I was going to ever get the paper that the lab needed to take my specimen.  I received a wrist band, some papers, and was ushered to an area where I was to wait until they assigned me a room! I waited until the assistant left and then snuck out and down the hall to the lab to turn in the paper they had requested.

Upon returning to the desk, the VERY SAME nurse that I had spoke with less that 45 minutes earlier walked up and said, "Hello, may I help you." - as if she had so recollection of who I was. I looked at her in disbelief but realized quickly that she was not going to make it easy. SO....I spent another few minutes explaining what I had just been thru to get her "paper."

Still acting like she had never seen me before, she had the nerve to then ask for my specimen. I about lost it!  It was all I could do to not yell at the top of my lungs at her, seeing as she had been the one that wouldn't allow me to leave the lab with the jug of urine that I had brought in. I kindly reminded her that she was the one that prevented me from taking my specimen with me when she required I go get admitted to the hospital to simply drop off my specimen. She stood and stared at me blankly, and the replied, "I don't see a specimen here, do you?" I was so angry that I was shaking.  It was the last straw for me.  I ripped off the wrist band, crumpled up the piece of paper from admitting and threw them across the counter, while yelling that I didn't understand how they could misplace a large, bright orange jug of pee!"

I then wished them good luck in matching my paperwork with the specimen, told them that they were all very lucky that the jug was in fact NOT on the counter, because I would have tossed it in their faces! I turned on my heels and marched out!

 Needless to say, I quickly called the Doctor’s. office and detailed the experience and my concern about the specimen going missing.  Then I spent a good 10 minutes crying in the car. It's amazing to me that considering that this illness is enhanced by stress - we sure endure a lot of it!  

On a positive note - it gets easier. The more familiar that you get with the process, the tests, the lingo, etc. - You get better at asking the right questions, or making the appropriate suggestions to prevent these "mishaps."

 As for the crying...I find that I cry when I feel like it. I don't hold back. I feel better afterward. It is a good release. Things are difficult - who am I kidding - a lot of times, bluntly said, it SUCKS! - so don't hold it in, it only makes it hurt more.  Hopefully you will reach the point that you can see some humor in the worst parts of it. Humor saves me a lot of heartache! Sometimes, when things go wrong, and they often do, I just have to laugh at how ridiculous it really is!  I wish you easy things to come and hope that you find comfort in commiserating with others who have gone thru the same things!  Best wishes!

 ~Autumn

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