My 20 month follow up

 Time for my yearly oncology follow up.

Which is, in reality, my 20 month follow up thanks to Covid. 

I zipped into the city, which normally would take me a good 45 minutes with daily commuter traffic. Definite silver lining of having everyone working from home. 

After I make my way into the parking garage, I get off the elevator and am instantly greeted by stop cop number one. (Not literally a cop).

Do not pass go until you go to the next stop cop.

Number two asks me if I have an appointment after giving me a fresh mask (which I told him I just put on at stop number one. ) Asks name of Dr. I am seeing and hands me my "ok to proceed" yellow sticker which I am to wear proudly. 

(No covid questions. No temp taking)

It has been so long since I was in this building I forget if oncology is floor 8 or 9.  I'm waiting along side older woman with a bandana, who I; assume, is also heading up to a cancer floor.  (Non silver lining of covid, absolutely NO visitors unless you're a minor. No one may accompany you to appointments, chemo, surgeries, etc). This breaks me. DH was my lifeline during chemo appointments even if I slept during most of it. Just having someone by your side is imperative to your mental being. Face time is an OKAY fix but hardly a worthy substitute. 

Older lady and I get on the elevator and dutifully step on our marked blue spots with footprints -decked out on the elevator floor. She presses 8. Yes. I remember. Chemo floor.

I wish her well as I make my way to 9 and get stopped by stop cop number 3. 

The craziness of cop number 3? No stop. Feel free to proceed down the hall. So, umm, what exactly is your duty out here in the hallway then?

Stop cop number 4 is when I enter the office. Besides the plexi glass between me and stop cop, it is practically impossible to hear anyone under a mask. We somehow manage and I'm allowed to pass go.

Doc is running a bit late (very unlike him) and am told he has a resident working along side of him today. No biggie. I've been around the block a few times here at the big teaching hospital and my breasts have been seen by many a resident- sadly. 

Doc and "resident" (or so I thought. more on this in a sec) arrive and we go through the rigmarole of how covid life sucks, how we hope for brighter days ahead, and lastly- how I have been. (I've been fine. Thanks)

We get to the exam part and when I'm told I can get dressed, I ask said "resident" "so, youre in residency?". 

"Oh. Um. No. I'm a med student. I finish this year". WHAT? The kid is barely 21! 

"Oh. Nice. Congratulations. So do you want to go into oncology?"

"No. Actually, im going into anesthesiology"

Oh. Ok. Great. Good for you. That's amazing. So tell me why you needed to sit here watching me have a breast exam at the age of 21?!! 

As I move along and make my follow up appointments, I need to go to another building at the hospital to drop off something for a friend who is inpatient. I'm wearing my you passed go sticker so I figure I will have no issues.

I walk outside to other building and enter the "patients only" door, where I'm greeted by 10 people in front of me. I patiently wait my turn, figuring I'll be told to proceed. 

Stop cop number 5 hands me a new mask along with a squirt of purell as I tell him that I just need to drop something off. I proudly show my yellow sticker but stop cop was hardly impressed and made me go to stop cop number 6. 

More blue circles with footprints to stand upon.

Hi. Yes. I need to drop this off for said patient. Sure. Leave it here and we will put name on it and have someone come down for it. 

Yea. That's not going to fly. You have at least 4 other bags sitting here with no names so could I please write it down myself so at least I know it has a better possibility of finding its owner. Stop Cop number 6 was very accommodating and even gave me scotch tape to adhere my note to bag. However. I was DEFINITELY not allowed to pass go.

So, I guess it's all good. 

Safety at its finest and all.  

The no visitor thing though totally sucks and my heart goes out to those going through hard times alone.

So, I leave you with my usual 

mask up

stay safe

be kind

We are only 353 days away from 2022!