The papers are in!

I've actually had to sit and read my last few posts to remember just what's been going on the past couple of days and weeks.  I mean, I know what's been going on, but it's hard to remember what was today, yesterday, or a few days ago.  The days are so long and start out one way, then end another.  It's hard to keep track sometimes.

The boys went to sleep tonight without too much of a fuss.  At times I feel badly because I've become so much of a drill sargent of late.  Now, this doesn't mean I send them off to bed and that's that.  We have a story, Carlos goes up into his bed, I give Ale all his various masages- on his feet for pooping, then the special oil I rub in his scars from surgery and on his back (for the effects of the radiation therapy), then we lie down together, snuggle, he asks if he can close his eyes, I say yes and then he goes to sleep.  By this time, Carlos is already snoring- literally.  And tonight, I was actually able to get myself up afterwards and get into my own bed and it wasn't even 10:30 yet.  In my house, that is some feat!!

So, today...  For those of you not following us on Facebook, today I finally got all the paperwork in to the regional office of the Catalan Health System (the comittee that makes the preliminary decision regarding whether or not to approve public funding for treatment in another EU country only meets on Fridays).  It was my fourth attempt, and today was it!  I had had some problems with a couple of the documents that had to be turned in.  One was signed by our oncologist and not the head of the entire section.  That was easy to fix.  Then we needed specific information from Germany regarding treatment.  There was a misunderstanding and last week I brought them an e-mail, when what was needed was an official document signed by the Doctor there.  Not so easy.  I e-mailed him last Friday and finally called yesterday when I hadn't heard back from him and Friday was just around the corner.  I'm so glad I called.  He is so swamped with e-mail, he still had 25 to go before he would have gotten to mine.  I explained the situation and this morning I received the document I needed.

 At that point we were already in the hospital for pre-op bloodword and a check-up, as well as a meeting with the anesthesiologist.  Since tomorrow is Friday and we didn't wan't to miss another meeting of the committee, I was trying to figure out how we could possibly get everything done (the regional health office keeps government office hours and closes at 3:00).  We had blood drawn and went off to see the anesthesiologist.  It turned out she didn't have us scheduled because last Friday the hospital had been forced to close all administration, consults, operating rooms, and anything else not related to in-patient or emergency situations- just another of the brilliant cost-cutting ideas of the new Catalan health minister.
 
In any event, the appointment had been scheduled by our oncologist after Friday's treatment (at least out-patient chemo hasn't been cancelled- for the time being) but since there was no one in administration to schedule it in, we found ourselves this morning insisting upon the fact that we HAD to see the anesthesiologist no matter what, due to the upcomming weekend and then two holliday days- the the 31 (another cost-cutting-hospital-closing day) and the 1st (official holliday) with the following day, the 2nd, being the day of Alejandro's sugery.  And in the end, we saw her.  That out of the way, we still actually had some time before the results of the bood work would be in (and without the results there's no check-up with the oncologist- thank you again Minister of Health- the lab is now so under-staffed that results can take longer than 4-5 hours on given days) and today this actually worked in our favor.  I was able to charge out of the hospital, down the hill, grab the metro 2 stops, run down part of one hill and up another and made it to the regional health building in under 20 minutes!!  And since the secretary on the onc ward had been nice enough to print out my document for me (thank you- iphone) I finally had all the paperwork in order.  They took it in, gave me the official stamp and now it is officially OUT OF MY HANDS!  Qué será será.  I have done my part.  Now it is up to them.  We should have the preliminary answer by mid-week next week.  I myself will do my best not to think about this again.  One less thing to worry about.  Now I can focus all my energy on the upcomming surgery.  Oh, and then I charged back down the hill, up part of the other, took the metro 2 stops, ran up the hill to the hospital (all in all, I was out and back in under an hour) and we still had to wait 2 more hours before we saw the oncologist!!!

 Tomorrow we meet with the trauma surgeon so he can explain what will take place. My heart is in my throat.  But things seem finally to be falling into place.  I need to trust that this is the right thing to do and that it will go well.  Germany is still there, sitting on the horizon, but for now our energy lies with the up-comming surgery.  And now that we have spoken to the boys about it, we can address it openly.  Tiny bits of this weight I carry around seem to be falling aside.  Now, if only I could catch my breath...