I want to write this while it's still fresh in my mind. I think my give-a-damn is busted.

Last week, Griffon had an X-ray of his hand, and blood drawn for some organ disease panels. We still haven't heard anything back from them.

We also tried to get an MRI set up for Griffon. No go, he's too small. "We can't do an MRI on a child that size, you need to try Winnie Palmer."

Okay, call Winnie Palmer. No openings until DECEMBER.

Call another hospital, manage to get an appointment for today. On Friday I preregister and somehow pull 80 bucks out of my ass to cover our portion of payment. Give the nurse all the info, yes we have a prescription, it says "Brain MRI, spasticity in the lower extremities." Yes, his birthday is 1/2/08.

Get there today, check in. Oops, forgot the scrip. No worries, the nurse calls my doctor's office to get a copy.

Twice.

No scrip. "Well they can't do it without the scrip."

Okay, I can understand that. But then this happens, "Did it say quick flash or brain MRI?"

*blink blink* Quickawha?

The nurse says "He's too little for the brain MRI. The doctor should have written for a quick flash because it takes less time, or else he's going to have to be under anesthesia."

So, not only could they not do it because I didn't have the scrip, they couldn't do it even if I DID have it, and even if Griffon's doctor's office got off their butts and faxed over a copy. Why didn't they tell me this on Friday, instead of making me drive down there on $3.75 a gallon gasoline for a wasted trip?

Now I have to call Griffon's doctor tomorrow, set up another appointment when I can go down and get ANOTHER prescription AND hopefully find out what the heck is going on with his hand, not to mention the results of the blood test. If someone is going to stick needles in my son, I want it to be worthwhile!

Yet despite all this I really can't muster up the energy to be angry or anything else. Should I be raising a fuss? I know some women who raise hell when their children are involved. I guess my give-a-damn is just taking this as another stupid part of the stupid way America's stupid medical system works.

PS - I started to wonder if maybe I -should- have done the cord blood thing.

PPS - Here is a blanket thank you to everyone who posted on my last journal (and a thank you from Night too, who is out of town this week on business and it's killing me). I appreciate each and every one of you who stopped by