McKay Dee for Babies. Only.

It was  a rough weekend.

I was sleep-deprived.
Reagan was being weaned off of her Guanfacine.
And our basement flooded.  Just the laundry room.  But still.

Monday was my MRI at McKay Dee Hospital.
They told me I couldn't eat beforehand.  My appointment was at 10AM.
The waiting area for the MRI was dirty, and the seats were filled with a lot of "white trash" people.  Waiting there was really upsetting for me.
I got even ornerier as time dragged on....  I wasn't called back for my MRI until 10:45.

The nurse that took me back stopped in the hallway to talk to another patient.  She just. left me standing there while she visited.  It made me even more annoyed.
Add to that, that I had not realized that I would need an IV for the procedure, and I was not a happy camper.

I wasn't on my back, going in to the MRI machine.  I was on my stomach.  I think that was actually better.  It didn't make me feel claustrophobic. 
The MRI didn't hurt.  But I silently cried during the procedure, because I was so overwhelmed.


Tuesday, I went back to McKay Dee for the biopsies.
I was told that the MRI had only scanned my chest area (I thought they were going to do my entire body.  But whatever...).  And that they cancer was confined to my right breast, and the nearby lymph nodes.
The biopsy itself was pure torture.
The radiologist used two trays of lidocane to numb me up.  But I still ended up crying, because it hurt so much.
Before the procedure, the nurse told me that dental work was worse than having a biopsy.  But she lied.
My biopsies were awful.  When he was done I was shivering uncontrollably (exactly like what happens when you're in the final stages of labor, and you can't stop shaking).
They sent me home, and told me to take some Tylenol and keep ice on the areas where they had taken the biopsies from.

I did what they told me to.  But when the lidocane started wearing off my pain was unbearable.  I was curled up in a fetal position.  Barely managing to type out phone numbers on my phone.
I called the radiology department that did my biopsy.  I told her how much pain I was in.  I was crying on the phone.  And do you know what she told me???  "We don't prescribe pain medication.  Contact your Primary Care Physician, if you feel like you need some".
WHAT?!  You mean, my PCP that hasn't been involved in this at all?  Oh yeah, I'm sure she'll be happy to write me a RX for narcotics, just because I ask.  NOT!

I called my PCP, and left a message.  She called back....  The next day.

I ended up calling Nick too.
At the hospital, I had been told to stop taking IB Profen, and Naproxen.

Nick told me to I could take some Naproxen.  So I did.
It took the edge off.
And I had the best nights' sleep, that I've experienced in ages!  I think it was because I was so exhausted.

After the fact, my biopsy incision sites are bruised black.

The day I was diagnosed with cancer, one of my first thoughts was that I ought to look in to going to Huntsman Cancer Institute to be treated?
But I was told, by McKay Dee, that they had Huntsman CI- Certified doctors in their breast cancer department.  And I had another (acquaintance) doctor tell me that HCI would be a good choice if it were an obscure kind of cancer.  But since Breast Cancer is fairly common...  I would be finesticking with McKay Dee.
There's also the logistics.
Nick's pharmacy is near McKay Dee hospital.
McKay Dee is near our house.

But then, I spoke to a lady that is friends with my Mom.  Arvonne just finished going through the rigors of ridding her body of breast cancer.  And she said her experience at McKay Dee was horrific!  Her comment was, "I don't know what those doctors did to get that Huntsman accreditation, but they don't deserve it!".

The biopsy disaster was the last straw for me.
EVERY appointment at McKay Dee Hospital had been a nightmare.
I called my insurance to see if I could go to HCI?
And they told me, "NO".  No, HCI is not "in network".

I was devastated.
I was trying to prepare myself for the long-haul at McKay Dee.  I tried thinking of the good things: one of the radiologist, that spoke to my Mom, after my biopsy, started crying when he found out that I had three small children, and that Reagan was on the Autism Spectrum.  That was sweet.  But it was the ONLY bright-spot I could think of, in relation to McKay Dee.

My Uncle, Scott Lloyd, is the Senior Director of Finance and Administration for HCI.  His wife, my Aunt Diane, called me; and told me that Scott was talking to his contacts in the Breast Cancer department, to see what they could do for me.
Scott emailed me, with the same sort of message.

30 minutes later...  A representative from Huntsman called me, and said that she had been able to get my insurance to make an exception, and that I would be able to be treated at HCI!

This is literally, a miracle!
I am convinced this is a product of the many prayers that people have been saying for me.

A funny sidenote:  I commented to my friend, Haley, that I never thought I'd see the day, when I'd be fighting to get anywhere near the University of Utah Campus?  LOL

While I was on the phone with the Huntsman rep., I asked whether McKay Dee would still call me with the biopsy results?  Because I still didn't know what type of cancer I had, or what stage?

She told me that my biopsy results were already "in".
But that she couldn't tell me, over the phone.
She suggested that I contact McKay Dee.

So, I did.
And the gal in radiology, told me, "I'm still entering biopsy results in to my computer from last week.  You're going to have to wait".
No joke.

It would almost be laughable. Almost.  If it weren't such a crappy situation.

So, I got to wait.
Eventually, I found out that I have:  Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, that has metastasized (at least) to my lymph nodes.

The best part was that, when HCI called, I was given an appointment for the following day (Thursday).
Contrast that with McKay Dee.  That (because they weren't yet aware of the fact that I had transferred my care to HCI) set up an appointment for me in ten day's time.
Wow.  Just..... Wow.

So, my conclusion?
McKay Dee hospital is fine for "fast-and-dirty" stuff.  Like delivering your baby.
But if you need care for cancer, or any other long-term things?  Stay away!  Far away....