We had a bit of frustrating news this week. We got a letter from Children's Mercy saying that Lizzie's neurologist, Dr. K, will be taking a one-year personal leave of absence beginning August 17th. Of course doctors are people too, and I'm sure he has something significant going on in his own life so that he feels the need to do this. However, it introduces a lot of unknowns into our situation since he's been Lizzie's doctor all along! The last time we saw him, he said that Lizzie didn't need to be seen again for six months, but that would put her appointment in September, after he's gone.
As soon as I read the letter, I immediately called Dr. K's office to see if we could get an appointment with him anytime before he leaves. I left a message for the nurse asking if we could see him anytime between now and August 8th. They called back and said they didn't have anything. The only appointments they had available were on August 14th and 15th. I explained that I am an elementary school teacher, and I have to report back to work on August 8th. I asked if we could come sometime before that if they had a cancellation, and they said yes, so I asked if they could add my name to a waiting list or something. They said no, that I would just have to call the office a few times a week and ask about cancellations. They asked if I had any other family members who could bring Lizzie to the appointment. I said, "Yes, my husband could bring her; but I also want to be there to talk to the doctor because he's the one who is most familiar with my daughter's history, and if he's going to be gone for a year, there are some questions I'd like to ask him about her."
I asked which doctor Lizzie will be seeing after hers is gone, but they couldn't tell me that. They said it would probably be one of two but that ultimately the decision was up to the nurses, so I asked when she might be able to get an appointment with one of them if we waited. Dr. A is gone to a conference in September, and Dr. P is only seeing patients on Mondays and Tuesdays in September and is already full. So with either of them, we'd be looking at a date past the six months Dr. K recommended for her next appointment.
At this point, I was really discouraged. If they'd let us know sooner that Lizzie's doctor was leaving, I would naturally have called sooner and we might have been able to get in before I have to go back to work. August 14th and 15th are just about the worst possible days for me to miss work. August 15th will be the first day of school for my students, so I absolutely cannot miss that day; but August 14th we have a mandatory meeting in the morning and the rest of the day will be spent doing last-minute things getting ready for the first day of school. I called my principal and explained the situation, and luckily he was understanding. He said that I had to be at the meeting in the morning, but that if I needed to be gone for a little while later in the day, I could do that. So I called the neurologist's office back and set up an appointment for late morning on the 14th. Not ideal, but it'll have to do!
In better news, Lizzie has another tooth about to come through, and she's getting a little more confident with her walking. We'll keep her practicing! Mostly we have just been trying to keep cool with the triple-digit temps this week; we're sticking with indoor activities. We saw Mr. Stinky Feet at the library, and today we're going to Lakeside Nature Center. Lizzie just goes along with whatever we have planned. We are lucky to have such a good-natured, easygoing girl!
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