PLOT TWIST!!!!!!

You've seen this, right?

 Source

So....guess what!?!?

PLOT TWIST!!!

Yesterday morning, before Mid-Morning, I tried to call the surgeon's office, because I had a few questions about today. And by "few," of course, I mean an entire page.

The number went straight to an unidentified voicemail, so I decided to try again after the show. I called back immediately after we went off the air and got the same message. It seemed odd to me that they wouldn't be open by 11:00 in the morning, so I checked the number online. Off by a digit. No wonder!

I called the correct number and when the lady answered, I said, "Hi, my name is Rebekah Shaffer, and I have a gallbladder surgery tomorrow. I have some questions and wondered if there might be someone I could talk to."

She said, "You don't have surgery. You have a consultation."

I'm sorry. WHAT!?!!?!!!?!!?!?!?!!?!

"You don't have surgery tomorrow. You have a consultation with the surgeon."

You know those movie scenes where the room starts spinning and you sort of drop the phone? 

That.

Clearly, arguing with her wasn't getting me anywhere, so I hung up. {She didn't ooze with compassion, either, so I was not eager to continue.} I tried to call Ryan's phone, but it went straight to voicemail {his building has HORRIBLE reception}, so I did something I've never done in the history of our marriage. I called the actual hospital and did the whole "I'm Ryan Shaffer's wife and I need to talk to him right now." The poor sweet phone ladies at his hospital have to think I'm a nut. {I was crying, so I had to repeat myself a lot in this request.}

When Ryan got on the phone, I spilled the story and he said WHAT?!?!?!!?!?

Seems to be a common reaction.

I was so glad Ryan had been with me at my appointment last week, because if I'd been alone, I would have been beyond humiliated and feeling SO STUPID right in that moment. I would have been questioning my hearing and sanity and all of it. But he had been right beside me. He heard what I heard. 

He said, "But they didn't say consultation! It's surgery day!" 

I know. I know. 

So...long story short, the office apparently led us astray when they made the appointment and did not make clear that this was a consultation and not surgery itself. {Side note - I even CALLED the surgeon as soon as we left the doctor to ask about an earlier date and they STILL didn't clear it up.}

I realize some of you out there who are experienced in this sort of thing are probably shaking your head and saying "I wondered why you didn't have a consultation!!" Other than dental procedures, I've never had surgery before. Ever. I have no idea what the standard policy is. I just keep following the directions I'm given. Ryan hasn't had surgery either, so he was in the same boat with me. Both of us thought the doctor's appointment we had last week WAS a consultation. Lesson learned.

I did feel better, later, when Ryan's entire office seemed just as baffled at the turn of events. All of them thought the meeting we had, especially with the doctor's sense of urgency that it needed to come out now, was the only step in between me and the end of this thing. Guess not.

So to recap, I'm not having surgery today. At least at the time of this posting this morning. I do have an appointment with the surgeon today, and we'll see what she says about when it will be scheduled. 

We're frustrated, obviously, at the communication. We're frustrated that we both have worked so hard the last few days to prepare at both our jobs to be gone for this surgery. {I spent all last week getting Lynne set for two weeks out to be ready for Mid-Morning, and Ryan had to juggle and reschedule all his patients.} I'm frustrated that I've been working so hard to mentally prepare...and now...to wait.

So that's the scoop. Speaking of scoop, I came home last night and had ice cream, followed by a big ugly cry over The Notebook. I made Ryan promise to read me our story if I ever get dementia. He said he would. And I guess this part will be a plot twist in the excitement of season 3!