Yesterday I had an appointment at 10:30am for a Bone Scan to get a closer look at some inflammation in my pelvic bone that showed up on a previous CT Scan. I couldn’t find my script for it, (I’m honestly not sure if they even gave me one at the time it was scheduled) so, in an abundance of caution, I called in the morning to confirm the date and time, and if I needed a copy of my script. The imaging staff person confirmed it was yesterday at 10:30, I should arrive by 10:15, and my script would have been faxed over at the time of the scheduling, so I was all set. My plan was to work until 9:30 am I(‘m still wfh full time,) then head to the Bone Scan. Since I’d never had one, and had no idea what I was in for, Jeffrey wanted to take me.

At around 8:30am, I got hit with another case of my recurring severe chill attacks, (and I mean severe – uncontrolled shaking, teeth chattering, and shivering) and had to hightail it to my bedroom, where I buried myself under three blankets, one electric, with the mattress pad heater on and a small heater running.

While I was in the throws of that….I heard Harvey make the most awful high-pitched caterwauling sound I have ever heard. Jeffrey came running in the room with an unconscious, wailing Harvey, shouting “he’s having a seizure!” Jeffrey had been letting him outside, when Harvey suddenly froze mid-step and just fell over, completely unmoving. We placed him on the bed and I surrounded him with my arms, petting him and telling him I was there (sobbing the whole time and begging him to be ok) while Jeffrey called the vet. His seizure lasted about 3 minutes, then he opened his eyes and was shaking but but seemed totally responsive. I continued to pet and cuddle and reassure him he was safe. I also realized he had lost control of his bowels. It was terrifying. Jeffrey was able to get him a vet appointment at 11:00am. We decided he would drop me off at the imaging center, then take Harvey to the vet from there. I hated that I couldn’t be with them both at the vet’s, but I did not want to have to reschedule the bone scan.

To my severe consternation, they had no record of my appointment. After the staff checked several lists and on line calendars, she assured me I was not scheduled for a scan that day. Remaining remarkable calm, I explained I had called that morning and confirmed the date and time, but she couldn’t verify who I would have talked to. I calmly stepped to the back of the room and sent a message through my patient portal to my doctor, stating I was at the imaging center, but they had no record of a scan being ordered. I then called the office and requested I get a call from my doctor or nurse or scheduling assistant ASAP regarding this issue. The scheduling assistant called me back and confirmed she had faxed the script the same day for a scan scheduled for yesterday at 10:30. She even had a a fax receipt confirmation sheet showing it had been received. She re-faxed everything over to the imaging center. I waited patiently while the imaging staff called several people and discussed it in hushed tones. I KNEW it was not going to be good news. Turns out, for no reason anyone could figure out, the scheduling folks at the imaging center had scheduled my for the same and time next week, on Monday the 26th. They tried to fit me in to schedule me yesterday, but I have to get an injection of a substance which must be pre-ordered, and they did not have any of the substance available for my scan yesterday (since they weren’t expecting me) and couldn’t do it.

The imaging staff person was extremely apologetic and, despite my anger and frustration (made worse that I had to charge time from work for this, that I missed out being with Jeffrey and Harvey at the vet for no reason, and that I was now stuck there until Jeffrey and Harvey were done at the vet’s,) I did not take it out on her in any way. I stayed calm and polite and thanked her for her help. She thanked me back for being so understanding. (I mean, it wasn’t her fault, there was noting to be done about it, and getting angry would have accomplished nothing other than making her feel bad for someone else’s mistake.)

When I asked if I could remain in the waiting room until my ride arrived, she said that patients weren’t allowed to stay in the waiting room beyond their appointment times.

That’s when I broke and started tearing up. I said I understood, didn’t want to get her in trouble, and didn’t mean to dump my personal stuff on her, but that my dog had had a seizure just before we left for my appointment, my husband had dropped me off before taking him to the vet, and I had no idea how long they’d be. The staff person was very kind, spoke with the other staff on duty, then quietly agreed to let me stay, sitting in the far corner by myself, and if anyone asked, they’d say I was waiting for a call from my doctor for script info.

I was ether about 2.5 hours before Jeffrey picked me up.

Back in the car, I took Harvey from his car seat and paced him in my lap. He seemed totally fine and completely back to normal.After what he’d been through, I decided he deserved to ride home on my lap. (And I really needed to hold him.) The vet checked Harvey for any signs of lingering damage or issues, but said by all accounts he seemed perfectly healthy. He then took blood to run several tests that would take a while for the results, so he sent Jeffrey and Harvey home to wait. Once home, we would not let Harvey out of our sight, anxious for the call from the vet. Which arrived about an hour after we got home.

The vet could find nothing wrong with Harvey, or any indications there was anything wrong or anything going on in his blood work. The verdict: this may have been a one-off, unknown cause, and we should just watch him and contact the vet immediately if he had another one or began behaving differently in any way. A bit of a relief, but obviously worried about what caused it and if it will happen again. We all spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the couch together, recovering from the drama and stress of the day, grateful that we were all home together, safe and sound once again.

I do NOT need another day like this any time soon, thank you very much.