Guess what just happened??

I call up the hospital where he's going to have the spinal tap (don't forget, I was told, he can't move his head, etc.). So I tell them, I will need an ambulette and she connects me to transportation. I tell them the story and she goes. "what insurance do you have'. I said, "No, I checked, insurance won't pay, this is on me, so how do I get an ambulette from your department?" She goes. "oh, I can give you some ambulette service numbers".

So I call one called Alert, I explain that he's having a spinal tap and they go, OH, he has to lie flat, then we don't do that, you need to call an ambulance"
I go "what????"

I then call back the spinal tap department and explain what the ambulette people said and the girl says "well, I don't know what to tell you, I just make the appointments, you have to speak to someone in the recovery department". I said (and thank God I know how to talk).
I respectfully ask to be switched to the recovery department and she goes "well, we have several, we don't know which one Alan will be in". and I go: "Switch me to ANY ONE BECAUSE THE RULES WILL BE THE SAME NO MATTER WHERE HE WILL BE RECOVERING, SOMEONE WILL KNOW WHAT THEY DO WITH PEOPLE AFTER THEY HAVE SPINAL TAPS!!!!"

So I get switched and some lovely woman answered and I said "my husband is having a spinal tap on the 5th, and she goes "yes, I know, what do you need to know" and as I'm talking she is going, "he just has to rest when he gets home, he has to relax, he can't move around a lot".

I say very politely "maam, I know all that. I need to know exactly what happens when he is released and he gets off the bed he is recovering from. How does he get to the ambulance, the taxicab WHATEVER???' is he lying down or can he get in a wheelchair? She laughs and goes "oh, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW???" She said "we don't release anyone until he can go into a wheelchair and by 2 p.m, your husband will be fine enough to just sit up quietly, we'll put him in the wheelchair and you can take him down till the acess a ride comes'" Then when he gets home, you must take care of him". I told her "I've been taking care of him for 25 years, don't worry". She burst out laughing.

So now we know.
He goes in at 10 a.m., he recovers till 2 p.m. he gets in a wheelchair and goes down and hopefully the access-a-ride will be there waiting, if not, he'll sit in the wheelchair and relax until they come. We might even call a taxi service.

I actually thought that he had to be taken home in a lying down position. She explained, "NO, that's only immediately after the spinal tap and for about two hours, that's the main time he has to keep his head down".

So at least I have some answers.

My hair is now all grey and I'll have a nervous breakdown.

thank you all for your comfort, answers and patience with my inexperience.

Love, Melody