Another Day. Another Lab Mixup

It seems as if I am on a hamster wheel with these blood tests.  My blood was drawn but no one at the lab informed me that there was a consent form that I needed to complete before they could pass along the tests to my Doctor.

The Beer Center emailed me the form that was then faxed to the lab twice.  More delays.  More drama.  More phone calls.  More trust issues.

The phone calls DID reveal that my results will take about two weeks before they are in the hands of the Doctor.  That means it will be at least two more weeks until my consultation with The Beer Center.  Two long weeks!  I am starting to get a little anxious to hear our fate.  I am starting to get a little antsy about how long we have been sidelined by all of this testing.  I started down this Reproductive Immunology path in October, in earnest.  It will be February before we have our results. 

The problem with this is that I expected to have the consult in early January.  Admittedly, this is not the fault of the Beer Center.  They have been great.  They are responsive, helpful and speedy.  This is MY fault and the fault of the labs.  This is why I have trust issues.  This is why I follow up and annoy people.  It is situations like this that remind me that I need to hand hold.  Just when I think people have it under control and I become lax in the hand holding they prove it necessary.  Ugh.

Hopefully, when we finally have our consult we will learn something new - Something we didn't already know.  Something treatable.  Something tangible.  Something better than 'I don't know.'

Here's to hoping for something to be wrong rather than nothing, as usual.

Awaiting Test Results = Agony

I am awaiting test results for my Reproductive Immunology work up.  Funny enough, though, the tests I am waiting for before I can schedule my consult are standard panels done by my local lab performed (and faxed to the The Beer Center).  Shocking, right?  (Extreme Sarcasm)  Admittedly, my lab requisition was enormous BUT they skipped a test without informing me and performed/coded two of the tests incorrectly.  (Sigh) 

More blood work.

More out-of-pocket expenses for other peoples' mistakes.  (Sheesh)

I had my standard panel done at my local lab on December 15.  (I've had many of these tests done already but just not within the last year.)  These fasting tests included:

• Glucose
• Prolactin
• ANA reflex titer with positive
• TSH
• FSH (CD 3)
• CBC with Platelets
• Fasting Total Insulin
• Anti-TPO (Peroxidase)
• Anti-Thyroglobulin
• Free T4
• PTT
• PAI-1 4G/5G gene mutation
• PAI-1 Activator Inhibitor Activity
• Antithrombin III Activity
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
• Prothrombin Gene Mutation (Factor II)
• MTHFR C677T and A1298C (mutation)
• Serum Immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA)
• Leiden Fact V gene mutation
• Homocystine
• Ovarian Antibodies IgG
• HBsAg
• ABO, RH (blood type)
• Serotonin (serum)
• Protein C, Activity/Functional 
• Protein S, Activity/Functional
• Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy

On December 16 I had my Reproductive Immunology Panel drawn and overnighted to the Beer Center's Lab.  The tests, for myself and my husband, included:

• NK Assay Full Panel
• TH1:TH2 Cytokine Panel
• Leukocyte Antibody Detection Panel
• Human T-reg
• Factor Xiii Gene Polymorphism
• Antiphopholipid Panel
• Anti-DNA/Histone Panel

I am anxiously awaiting the consultant to discuss the results.  Heck, I am anxious to know when the consult will be. 

Yesterday, I was filled with anxiety and fear when I found out the news about the missing tests.  I was frustrated both at the lab and at myself for giving my lab the benefit of the doubt and not checking to be sure that the blood tests had been faxed to The Beer Center as they assured me they would.  The results weren't faxed.  When will I learn?  I'm the one that is impacted by their mistakes and their ambivalence.  (ugh)

Today I feel better, however.

I feel better today because my repeat blood work is complete and I will be able to schedule my consult tomorrow (I think).  I feel better because the representative at the Beer Center was wonderful.  She called me back right away, before I headed to the alternate lab, to tell me to add the missing/incorrectly performed tests to my requisition for the skipped test.  How wonderful is that?  I emailed her and she called me within 10 minutes in order to help me avoid multiple needle jabs this week and multiple trips to the alternate lab.  She was so nice and helpful and it is a breath of fresh air. 

For the first time I feel like I am being seen by a Center that "knows what to do with me."  Do you know what I mean?  At my various RE offices throughout the years I have always felt like they were always puzzled by me/my medical situation and didn't know what to do with me even though they always had the best intentions and sincerest interest in helping me bring home a baby.   

Today was a good day... Hopefully 2015 will be filled with more days like today.  Every year I say it and every year I believe it to be true but "2015 will be my year"