Breast Navigation - Post mastectomy camisole.

I wish I could give you a description or photo of this garment but I can't, as the very kind breast navigation people didn't bother to show up for my appointment.

My appointment was today at 10:00.  I love getting up in the morning as much as I love the idea of having my breast cut off and having to wear a garment like that, so I wasn't thrilled about the time.  The day before surgery, I wanted to sleep until 10:00, do some chores, prepare the house, maybe take a bubble bath and relax - but I wasn't able to talk them up to 1:00 - so I booked it.   

I'll probably need that garment, right?

I set my alarm for 8:00 and left the house at 9:30.  The address given was located in a very busy lawyer's building - busy because it was a debt relief type lawyer.  Lots and lots of people seem to need debt relief, and the receptionist was swamped.

I found the place is called the  "Woman's Health Care Image" which is a name so nonsensical (especially because there is no image) that I can't even joke about it.  The suite was right next to the receptionist's desk.  It was 9:55 and nobody was there, so I figured I was just a little early.  Maybe whoever works there doesn't like to get up early either.

They had some fabulous fish tanks in that office - debt relief must pay well to afford 1000 gallon tanks like that.  So, I wondered around and checked the tanks out and a little after ten went back and checked the suite.  Still nobody there.  I had no choice but to bother that poor receptionist and find out what was going on.

The poor thing sits under halogen lights in a very public area all day and everybody can hear every word she says, including the fish.  Not the greatest working environment in my book.  She works exclusively for the law offices but kindly called the breast navigation people for me.  No answer.  I asked was somebody normally there at 10:00 and she said yes, but maybe they were running late.

I  waited a few more minutes and then checked out their sign and hours.  Yep, they were late but aha! A phone number was on the sign.   I called it .... and got voice mail.  I left a message -  and by now I was pretty upset.  This hadn't been my idea and I'm undergoing major surgery tomorrow to remove one of my body parts and the people who had called ME to offer sympathy  and make the appointment didn't bother to show up?  I didn't say that though, just said "Here I am, where are you"  while trying not to simultaneously cry and yell. 

I waited 15 minutes and all the other things I had to do started weighing on my mind.  The receptionist has no number, nobody is getting back to me, nobody called her to leave a message for me- they flat out forgot.   How long do I wait?  It is 10:15 now, do I leave at 10:30?  11:00?  Now?   I need to get some dinners made, clean my crap off the dining room table....maybe do a load of laundry so I don't have to later with one arm.  So, I chose now.  But, not before I pulled a sticky note out of my bag and wrote this:

"10-20-09.  10:15.  I had a 10:00 appointment to pick up a post-mastectomy camisole before my surgery tomorrow and nobody is here.  Thank you for your help during this trying time."

Too snarky?  I think not snarky enough.