Still waiting

So my initial diagnosis was over a month ago, and I'm still waiting for the staging to be done. Colonoscopy was 2/12, 0.9cm polyp removed from rectum near sigmoid. "The talk" with my GI was 2/19. CT scan (good news there) was 2/20. Initial consult with surgeon was scheduled for 2/27 but went completely sideways when I got a call just hours before the appointment to cancel. Long story, but it ended up being a good thing because I got a referral for a colorectal specialist in the state capital instead of a general surgeon in my podunk town. (My insurance is a regional HMO.) Sigmoidoscopy on 3/5, GI took samples from where the cancerous polyp was removed and biopsy showed "no active disease at site." GI called this "great news" but still wanted me to go for surgical consult. Finally got in to colorectal surgeon on 3/5, and she was more blunt than my GI. She said I still needed an MRI and bloodwork to complete staging. But based on size and location she was talking chemo/radiation, then surgery, then chemo. Said I would be going to tumor board. This felt like a blow, because my GI keeps saying things like, "it could already be gone" and "I still think we caught it early." But, got bloodwork back right away, and nothing looks out of order there except high glucose. CEA was 0.6.

Anyway, just getting the MRI scheduled has felt like a struggle. Because the specialist is a "contracted provider" it would have taken 10 days just to get approval before scheduling would even call me. So I did an end run and had my GI schedule it so it wouldn't need to go through that approval process. That took many messages and phone calls to be sure that the order said "rectal cancer staging protocol" as the surgeon specified. Basically since she's from "The City" she thinks nothing that's done in podunksville will be done to her standards. (Even though podunksville is a city of 300,000.) Which made me paranoid that the order wouldn't be submitted right, and I called all the offices involved, including Radiology to make sure the orders had the right wording. And even though I did the end run around the approval process, they still couldn't schedule me until 10 days after my surgical consult took place. On a Saturday. Yay, no missed work! Oops, not so fast. Got a call the next day that they wanted to reschedule for a Monday because I had indicated that I am sometimes a tough stick, and they wouldn't have a nurse on backup in case the tech couldn't get the IV in.

So now the MRI scheduled for this Monday, a full 12 days after I saw the surgeon for the consult. AND I'm supposed to have a follow-up appointment with the surgeon next Wednesday. Not only am I not sure the MRI results will be available to her by then (even though they were put in as ASAP), today I called the insurance to make sure that my appointment was approved. Because the doctor is a contracted provider EVERYTHING has to be approved. I was told it shows as "pending." Because her office didn't even put in the request until this past Tuesday. In spite of the fact that I called them to make sure that the request was put in in a timely fashion. So now I'm worried that I'll have to reschedule THAT appointment. And that it will be another 2 weeks. And then I will have to wait for oncologists to call for scheduling.

Anyone else out there have to wait an interminable amount of time just to get staged?? I mean, in my case I no longer have a tumor inside of me, so that's one thing. But I just need to get this process started. As someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the worst thing for me is when there are loose ends flapping in the breeze, and having to wait for things to happen. I've made my peace with what the treatment will be, and while I'm not excited about it I feel like I just want to move forward ASAP. On top of that I've been trying to get some mental health assistance, and once I finally got a call back (from my 5th choice doctor, no less), that appointment won't be for another 18 days.

Meanwhile I've been following advice gleaned from these boards. Bought the meditation CD. Installed the bidet in anticipation of radiation. Looking at what chemo drugs may potentially be used (and how much they are/arent' covered by my insurance). Filling out FMLA paperwork and state disability to try and stretch out my 404 hours of banked sick leave. Part of having anxiety is being a compulsive planner. Oh, I was wondering.... I've seen references in old posts about flushing twice and keeping the lid down. Is that to make sure that pets don't drink radioactive toilet water?