Ok... I did Soulstance. Soulstance was the litmus test to see if I can handle camping, road trips, regionals, etc. The only real hitch I had in going was dialysis. I asked my dialysis center a month and a half notice for an early Friday time so I can be early on the road. They told me right off that are are full and most likely can not accommodate me.

No Problem....

One of the jobs my Social Worker is to place me it I want to go on vacation. Usually they ask for a month notice. I have her a month and a half notice. A week after asking I got a Google map of dialysis center in my area. The left the map while I was a sleep. I sorta figured she was showing the centers in my area.

Two week later I asked her on her progress. She said that it was up to me to find my own center (in actuality it is her job). She said she has over 300 patients and let her abled (me) patients to do the work. I was like FUCK!!!! So she gave me the number and I called.

I told the placement service my time and day. I told the the earliest time as possible. They told me they will place me in a week. After a week had passed they did not call. So I called them. They said they could not find a place for the FIRST SHIFT. First shift was at 6:30 am. That would be grand but I would take anything early. I told them that I wanted the earliest time possible but they put down first shift. I told them to change it. They said they would get back to me in a week.

A week later (two weeks before Soulstance) I called the placement service again. Once again they messed up. They still had me looking for first shift on the computer again. They never made the correction. They said they will pass the matter to the head coordinator and to call back in a week. So I did... but I asked the nurses and NOT the Social Worker for a early placement. They said that they will see what they can do for me but no promises.

Another week later I called the placement people. Once again they still had me for first shift. Finally I got someone who knows what they were doing. She fixed the time and broaden in my area to 25 miles. Apparently they were only looking in town. I did not mind going a few miles away. They said they will call me ASAP.

On the Monday before Soulstance I talked to the nurses at my dialysis center. They said an early person is now in the hospital and I can have his time. It was at 10:15. They also said that if he is discharged I would loose that slot. I told them go for it. I was going to talk to the Social Worker but she was not there.

On Tuesday before Soulstance I got a call from my Social Worker. The placement people called her and said that they had a spot. The problem was she did not know where or when.

On Wednesday I got another call my Social Worker. She said they found a spot in Benicia. The problem is that Benincia is across the bridge and too far away. Never mind the opposite direction of Santa Cruz!!! Plus I wanted to rest after dialysis. I told the social worker to hold on to the spot for the nurses (doing me a favor) was trying to get me a spot.

On Thursday the Nurses finalized the spot.

Friday I got my dialysis but 45 mins late.

This worries me for my next vacation. The question is that can I get the time and place I want. Will I have to place a vacation around dialysis rather dialysis around vacation. Home Dialysis was going to get me around this. However instead it really prevented me from going anywhere.

Time for this Sidhe to think out of the box!!!

Cross Sidhe