Survey says!

I take deep breath as I answer. Simply so I do not have to breath at all while Robin speaks.

She is very nonchalant. It is confusing to me. What she seems to be saying is nothing I find easy to take in stride.

Dr. Madre is leaving on a medical mission and he's asked her to make an appointment for when he gets back.

"An appointment for what?" I ask.

"He wants to know how you'd prefer to be followed."

"And what am I being followed for?" Where exactly are we headed, me and my uterus?

Robin seems hesitant. "Well, there were some abnormal cells."

This isn't news. These wacky little cells were what landed me in the stirrups for the last horror show. "More cells? Different cells? Stranger looking cells?" I am trying not to sound shrill and panicked.

"Something he'd like to watch," she explains, sort of tentatively. I am sure these cells are just fascinating, but...

This all sounds familiar. She's back on the prior page of the chart for sure. I listen for sounds of her gasping in recognition, laughing and saying, "Wait a minute. I am so sorry. There's more. Let's make an appointment six months from now!"

But she says nothing. I try to clarify. "So Dr. Madre wants to talk about my options. What might be on the list?"

"Well, you can have a blahblahblah procedure, or you can come in for tests every three months"

Three months? When I was there two weeks ago he said I'd need to come back every six months. So something HAS changed. "Can I come in tomorrow?" I ask. I am really nervous now.

"Dr. Madre is leaving for Africa for three weeks. Let's put you in for when he gets back." Silence while she checks the schedule. "Dr. Madre is booked for the first week he's back. I can't open the next week's schedule this far in advance. I should be able to see it tomorrow. Why don't I call you back tomorrow morning and get you set up?"

I tell her to call my cell. I have meetings offsite at 8, 9, and 10 am. I will pick up no matter. A lot can happen in the 4 weeks I am already forced to wait. I will be a lunatic by then. And I leave for Key West Saturday. I need a plan well before I taxi down the runway.

She seems relieved to be ending the phone call.

I am anything but relieved.