I had to do both bloodwork and x-rays last week for my rheumatologist. I had my 6-month check-in appointment with her recently and she was not impressed by my general situation and wanted some diagnostics before changing my treatment plan. (I will elaborate on this in another post, since it involves a break in the denial I’ve been living in for years.) I sat on the requisitions for a week or so because I didn’t want to admit shit was progressing. I eventually had an in-office appointment with my psychiatrist that I could not avoid, so I decided to get it all over with at once. 

The psychiatrist appointment was slightly fraught, as it was in a building with a bunch of other offices, and therefore, people. I used a ton of hand sanitizer and paper towels to open every door, but I was still faced with a bunch of dumbasses who were incapable of keeping an appropriate distance. My psych and I discussed my general situation, the appointment with my rheumatologist and how things were progressing and I had a good cry. Ever cried for a while in a mask? It was pretty gross by the end of my appointment. Thankfully I do not have to see my psych in person for the foreseeable future and I look forward to being as gross as I wanna be in my own home. 

Bloodwork in the time of COVID-19 is still the same, so refer to that post.

But x-rays in the time of COVID-19? Unfortunately, not as great. My rheumatologist chose the clinic for me, and in pre-COVID times, I am told it is pretty quick. In & out in 20 minutes. 

However, this time, it went like this: 

  • Wait in line outside the clinic for 5 minutes. 
  • Get screened in, handed a fresh disposable mask (I brought my own reusable one, but they wanted me to use their mask) and told to stand in a shorter line inside the building. 
  • Chat with the receptionist, where they register me and explain that they are doing “walk-ins” differently. They will send me a text and I have to show up within 30 minutes for my “x-ray window”. When will the text come? Well, there are a bunch of people ahead of me and I have a ton of x-rays to do, so maybe tomorrow morning? What. Actually, we can probably fit you in tonight, in about 7 hours. Ok. See you then. 

(I treat myself to some take out, drive for 20 minutes to get home, and am just eating my lunch when I get the text. Annoying, but I am glad I don’t need to wait 7 hours or whatever.) 

  • Drive back, wait in line again and just make it in the clinic for my 30 minute “x-ray window.” 
  • Screened in again, given a fresh mask, and get in line again inside. Get checked in. Sit in the waiting room and cannot leave or I relinquish my x-ray time slot. It ends up being an hour wait in a room full of people. The clinic has arranged physically-distanced chairs “for patients” but most people have brought someone along, so those people are standing around and eating up the distance or wandering around. People are coughing. People are arguing with staff about stupid shit (e.g. not keeping their distance). It wouldn’t normally bug me, but you know, pandemic. 
  • Get called in for my x-rays. Escorted into a new hallway. Get undressed in a little change room and put on a gown because I am having a ton of x-rays. Wait in the little change room for about 20-25 minutes for someone to come get me.
  • Get ushered into the x-ray room. X-ray procedure is pretty standard except for the face mask, face shield, and rubber gloves on the technician. Takes a while due to the number of x-rays this time.
  • Get ushered out of the x-ray room and back to the change room to get out of the gown. I wait another 10 minutes for someone to come get me and escort me out of the back door of the clinic like I’m a celebrity. 

The whole process took over 2 hours, not counting the initial visit where I registered. For reference, my last pre-COVID x-rays (at a different clinic, mind you) took 15 minutes. Let’s hope these x-rays are good for a while. 

little moons sister chronic