So about that waiting area.

I mentioned in one of my prior posts about the waiting area and had noted that I would touch on it later. So, something happened at one of my treatment visits this week that reminded me to get back to it.

When you go to the Cancer Treatment Center, you bypass the "public" waiting area/lobby and go to an area that is accessible - conceivably - only to other cancer patients and, presumably, hospital staff. There are a couple of small waiting rooms built into alcoves with small lockers outside of them where you can change into one of the ever-lovely hospital gowns that are provided and then store your stuff. Then you sit in a small waiting area - 4 chairs, some magazines, a bulletin board for announcements, a jigsaw puzzle that people work on when waiting. It's fairly non-descript. And even though the waiting area is "private" in terms of being available only to those in treatment, it's still fairly "public" in that you're sitting there in a thin hospital gown with God-knows-who from the hospital traipsing by.

So I arrived one day this week and (luckily) to get to the changing rooms/lockers I have to walk past the radiation treatment room. Well, there must have been 15-20 people all crowded into the long hallway that enters into the room. What the heck??? Nevertheless, I proceeded to change into my gown, but then I hovered in the little alcove of one of the changing rooms until I knew the coast was clear. Who the heck were all these people, anyhow?

Eventually, one of the radiology techs walked by and noticed me lurking in the alcove so I asked her what was going on. In the treatment room hallway there is a mural on the wall, and that morning the Center had put on a breakfast for all of the various artists who had worked on it. Evidently, it was done in stages by many different people, and this was their chance to see the entire finished work of art and to be recognized for their contributions. All very nice, indeed. Unless YOU are the one sitting there dressed in next to nothing. I wasn't happy.

Now, the fact that all these people milling about was setting my treatment time behind didn't faze me in the least. I had plenty of time and was in no rush. But the thought of having even MORE strangers seeing me sitting around in that stupid hospital gown? You must be joking. It just so happens that the day this happened fell on a Wednesday, which is also the day when everyone sees the radiologist. They were kind enough to put me in an exam room so that I didn't have to hide in the alcove any longer and I explained to the nurse that it was demeaning enough to have to sit there in a thin robe with people gallivanting by, let alone with an additional non-hospital-related 15-20 people seeing me as well. Everyone was very sympathetic to my complaint and the doctor even apologized saying that, while she knew they were having the breakfast out in the public lobby, she had no idea they would all be milling about in the hallways of the treatment area.

I feel I need to clarify a ccouple of things here. First, when I change into the gown I'm only undressing from the waist up. Secondly, those of you who know me at ALL know that I am in no way a prude or even really very modest. My little one and I are two peas on a pod - we'd rather be "nekky" than have clothes on at all. Nevertheless, barely covered from the waste up is still barely covered, period, and getting "nekky" is done on OUR terms and in the privacy of our own home. Not sitting in a semi-private area of a very public hospital. Thanks, but no thanks.

No matter. Monday is my last day there and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. Woohoo!!!