It's always something

I made the appointment with the pediatric gastroenterologist on Saturday morning, and informed the hospital immediately. The plan was for me to drive her back and forth to the appointment. I also re-confirmed this with the unit's nursing supervisor, when we were there visiting Toots yesterday afternoon. So there shouldn't have been any problem, yes?

No.

I arrived at the hospital this morning, leaving a good window of extra time to get to the doctor's office. Informed the nurse at the nursing station that I was there to pick up Toots, and all heck broke loose among the staff.

See, due to her self-harm and suicidal statements Toots has been on "close supervision", which means a staff person is only a few feet away from her, 24-7. Since she has been OK for a few days, this morning she was taken off "CS" and moved to the next lower level of supervision. Her psychiatrist had announced, during morning rounds, that because Toots had just come off "CS", she couldn't ride with me alone in my car. The morning staff had not been informed about the appointment. Many phone calls were made among various offices, trying to find a staff member who could drive her. (I would have met their vehicle there.) I didn't see her, but back inside the unit Toots was apparently having conniptions at the idea of a staff person driving her. (I strongly suspect that she was intending to ask/tell me to take her out to lunch. Because of the timing of the appt., I would have done so anyway. But I digress.)

In the midst of all this, Dr. decided that Toots could only travel in an ambulette. I was informed that an ambulette would be pulling up momentarily. Then, it wasn't going to happen. I was asked to call the doctor's office and try to reschedule the appointment for later in the day. Knowing how this office runs the schedule, I didn't think it was likely, and I was correct. I was fortunate to be able to reschedule for Thursday. If she has an OK couple of days, they will let her ride there with me unescorted.

So is anybody thinking, "Is that really a good idea?" It probably wouldn't have been a problem today, and there probably won't be trouble on Thursday. True, in past years, Toots and I have had some scary car episodes. Like when she tried to seize the steering wheel and run me off the road....and when she fought me and gave me a bite scar that's still visible on my arm....

But, going to a medical appointment she has been clamoring for, and with the prospect of food afterward, most likely she would have been fine.

Still, you never know. And, this is not the kind of hospital policy we tend to question (although there certainly have been others over the years). And, I'm used to things not going as planned around Toots. Very used.