After speaking to the hospital administrator at Blaauwberg Netcare hospital, a Dr rudely phoned me back to explain they only call if you actually sick and your results showed something, to which I needed to shut my mouth because I so badly wanted to ask if patients had the same rights with regards to payment. I was still sick and they hadn’t fixed me so should I just not pay ?
It turns out I did in fact not have a kidney infection.
So for a week I walked around , still ill, in agony treating myself for a kidney infection I never had!!!!!
Thank you Blaauwberg Netcare.
As soon as I put the phone down with the hospital , I phoned my DR at Intercare and made an appointment for an xray on my shoulder for the next morning.
Whatever it was that was causing me discomfort and pain I’d find out.
That evening, as with every evening since my ER visit, I couldn’t sleep for pain. There was no way I could get comfortable and by now every small step left me breathless.
The next morning I headed to the Dr convinced I’d pulled a muscle or torn a ligament somehow, but knowing an xray would show where and I could get some painkillers.
I was not at all prepared for what happened next.
I stepped into my Dr’s office and explained my symptoms and why I wanted an xray. She did a quick examination and my lungs were clear. My heart was healthy and my blood pressure was normal. I didn’t have a fever and short of pain in my leg and shoulder I was fine.
She booked my xray and I went next door to have it done.I hate xrays. They always make me freak out and knowing this xray would be of my chest didn’t comfort me anymore.
The xray assistant was very sweet as she prepped me for the xray. I stood , barely covered in a hospital gown, shivering with cold.Why xray rooms always feel like the tip of the North pole I have no idea.
First I lay down and was told to breathe in and hold my breath. I wanted to go through the roof in pain each time I contracted my lungs to hold the breath in.
Next I stood against a flat cold metal slat and repeated the exercise with my arm above my head.
Once she was satisfied with the black and white images of my inner body, I was dismissed and allowed to dress back into my warm clothing.
As I left the changing room, I faced her to say thank you. The expression on her face looked like she needed to tell me a large secret and she lowered her voice and kindly asked if I was going back to my Dr now?
It was at that point I realised, I hadn’t pulled a Muscle.
I met papa in the reception and we walked back to the Dr’s rooms. I didn’t have time to think about the what ifs as she took us in straight away.
What I like about my Dr aside from her gentleness is the factual manner she has when adressing an illness.
She looked at me and said ” we found a mass”
For a second the world stood still.
Mass! What type of mass? What do you mean you found a mass? Do I have cancer ?
She went on to explain that a 7cm x4 cm was lying in my plural sac behind my lung.
She couldn’t tell what the mass was.
Ok, I thought to myself. She hasn’t used the word cancer….
She continued saying I needed a palmologist. Then she phoned one.
Expecting an appointment for Monday because no one works on a Friday I realised just how serious this mass was when I was given an immediate booking in Milnerton Mediclinic hospital for a CAT scan and biopsy.
