I wish I understood their criteria for determining urgency. I was very offended that they gave me my first surgery date for so far away, which I KNEW I wouldn't be able to last until. I was terrified of having to wait that long for the surgery, and I was quite correct. Of course there's the practical side of everyone else's urgency, matching it against mine and yours and all that, but I don't know how they couldn't see that I only had a week or two left before I'd totally lose it. Later, when I was in obviously greater need while lying in the hospital, they found surgery time for me. OK, I guess that's reasonable, they waited 'til they absolutely had to to move up my priority. But I wish they could have told me that such a thing was possible when they first gave me that ridiculous date -- around six weeks away, if I remember correctly! I really could have used the assurance that if I couldn't last that long, they could help me. But perhaps they didn't want me to know that, so I wouldn't give in until I'd actually hit my breaking point, and not just when I was close to it. *sigh*

I can't help but wonder who "they" are who decide these things, though I know some of "them" are HMOs who are looking to keep costs down and don't care much about pain. My pain probably didn't matter much to "them" until I got to the point of checking into the hospital early and requiring a morphine drip. OK, I'm just ranting now.... I guess I'm in a ranty mood today! ;)