Day 5

Today was day 5 of my Mayo appointments, otherwise known as a big old waste of time. I was to see the psychologist because I didn't score well on the depression screen. Come on , of course- like someone dealing with the kind of chronic pain issues I am wouldn't be dealing with some depression. Honestly, some of those questions really don't reflect my mental state as much as they do my physical state. For example I have trouble getting out of bed some days - yes, because I'm in pain. I don't know that it was necessary to have this consultation. But I wanted to go through with it to A, to be compliant and B, reassure the headache specialist that the pain was the cause and not the result of the depression.

No doubt I'm struggling with some depression and could really benefit from counseling to help me deal with all the crap that accompanies my pain issues. My awareness of this is high and I'm always working to combat it. If not for the separate, yet equally high, deductable my insurance has imposed on mental health services (in addition to the physical health services) I would already be receiving such care.

So I showed up for my appointment and it didn't take long for him to say, "Sounds like we need to resolve the pain you are experiencing to get you back on track." Yep.

On my way out I stopped by the desk where this oral facial pain doc is located to see if I could get a range of time to expect to hear from them, and then to actually see him. I was able to learn that there are more than 300 people on the waiting list ahead of me and that it would probably be 3 to 6 months before I received a call and up to 6 months after that when I could see the doc.

I called my neurologist in Virginia to let her know the situation here and see if she had any advice. She didn't really know what to say...but told me she had a patient there once who came up with an idea on her own and just waited in that department until a cancellation occurred. I read between the lines and decided she was suggesting that I go to the maxillofacial surgery desk and and hang out- wait for an appointment (like a checker).

I don't know. I'm feeling crestfallen and am quickly losing steam on this issue. Maybe that's just a couple bad pain days talking, or me just wanting to get back to my husband and dog. I really could go and spend 1/2 a day or two waiting...see what happens. I've come all this way.