So, I got see Dr. Tabsh yesterday. He's doing the ultrasound and talking to me about my lab work and stuff. I can tell he doesn't like the way Dr. Mach has been handling things. My T3 is still high....has only tested my Antibodies once (these are what make me sick and can pass through the placenta giving the baby a goiter and causing her to be born with a hyper thyroid), etc. I hear him mumbling to himself, things like, "Hmm well if your T4 is converting...and the PTU...then you shouldn't...yadda...yadda." Then he says, "I've been telling you to go see Tamagna, why don't you listen to me?" Well she's been in Italy, but I have an appointment on Friday. "OK, do you have a car with you because I want you to go to UCLA right now and have labs drawn." It's almost 5 O'clock and you want me to get on the 405 and drive to UCLA? You must be stoned! He draws me a very detailed map, writes turn by turn directions so I can find the exact location, writes up with lab sheet and I'm on my way.
Traffic is surprisingly light even though I am going the opposite direction of traffic and I'm enjoying my music. When I get off the freeway my troubles begin. I must have missed something because I am now in Bel-Air and I know UCLA is the other direction. I use my GPS to get me back to where I need to be. I don't know where to park because I am no longer able to use his map. I just pick a place and start walking (I seriously could not have picked a better meter in the world, I was guided there!) I see to my right "Main Hospital" I see to my left a brand new building "UCLA Medical Plaza." I think the plaza must be doctors offices and the right is the actual hospital where I need to find the lab, right? I cross the street and my mission continues. My time working at the U and the cancer institute has really come in handy because I am familiar with navigating the dark labyrinth halls of a medical/research facility all rolled into one. I find an information desk, the guy does not know where the lab is, someone else says it has moved over to the new Ronald Reagan Hospital across the street (does not click for me). They give me specific instructions to find the 'H' elevators and to make make several right and left turns, then out the doors and the hospital is across the street (still does not click). I not so easily find my way out of there and out the door. There is the UCLA Medical Plaza which is the new hospital! DUH! I look down at the map Tabsh drew and now I realize what he was saying. I find the lab and it takes me about 10 minutes from the time I enter to the time I am out, even having a student phlebotomist draw the labs.
I was terrified of the traffic on the way home. It was really heavy but to my utter amazement was moving. I made it home about 8:00. What an adventure!
