finally

After two shipping errors and multiple phone calls, I finally started the hormone test this morning. It took 3 calls to the testing lab and 3 calls to FedEx to get an actual test kit delivered to my house. The first kit was sent regular mail instead of overnight, even though the lab told my doctor they would overnight it directly to me. That kit has still not arrived. When I hadn't received it after two days, I called the lab, found the shipping error, and paid for a second kit to be overnighted to me. The company managed to ship that one off correctly, but FedEx failed to deliver it the next day. I called FedEx and explained to the customer service rep that the package contained a medical test, and that if I didn't have it by this morning I would have to wait a whole month before I could do the test. Her response was "Too bad, it will get there by 3PM." She also wouldn't assist me in getting a refund for the charge I had paid for the overnight shipping -- I had to call the lab back for that. A friend suggested that I call back FedEx and ask to speak to a supervisor, so I did that, with the polite but firm approach that I would keep going up the chain until I found someone who knew how to get the package to me first thing this morning. The supervisor I spoke to said she'd put in a request for expedited AM delivery, but apparently no one read it, because when I called again this morning the notes were in the computer but the package had been sent out for 3PM delivery. I spoke to a second supervisor, who actually called the driver and had it added to the AM delivery, and I got it at 10:15.

I'm telling myself that the timing was actually not too bad, since I usually wake up between 9:30 and 11:30, and I was able to do today's test at 10:30. I didn't know to take my temperature before getting out of bed, though, because the test instructions were not available online. I'm hoping that it won't matter for the first day. The instructions for collecting the saliva also weren't completely clear, so I'm going to call my aunt and ask her how she has done it in the past.

I am having a lot of anger and anxiety about this test. I can't believe that it took me 4 doctors and 6 months to find someone willing to order it for me -- even though all 4 doctors readily agreed that a hormone imbalance could be causing my mood swings. I can't believe that I had to go through several months of mood swings while I searched for someone who would order the test. I can't believe all the bullshit I had to go through just to get the test to my house. I also still don't know if the test will be covered by Medicare (although the diagnosis code was included in the test kit, so I can now find out). Fortunately, the doctor who ordered the test for me -- my new GP -- seems interested and willing to help, so hopefully it won't be this difficult every time. It has been extremely hard on me, and used a lot of energy that I didn't have to spare. Other things have not gotten done this week because of it. And now, I can't settle, even though I am exhausted from stress and insufficient sleep.

My GP did give me a talking-to yesterday about not waiting so long to take Xanax when I have the mid-cycle mood swings. I told her it sometimes took me a long time to figure out what was going on, and she said that if I was crying uncontrollably for no apparent reason and it went on longer than an hour, I should take Xanax, period. No need to figure out what was going on first. Sensible suggestion. I hope it makes equal sense when my brain is addled by hormones.