A Waste of My Time and Effort (I'll Be OK)

     I will try to be polite in this exchange, but I'm not sure if that will be possible. I was just a little too upset to be anything but upset. I didn't lose my cool, though; nope, I just walked away. I do that more now than I did before; there's never been a good result when I didn't. I just walk away - and if they can't figure it out -- that's on them. 

    I had a doctor's appointment today with a GP whom I have seen previously. The big health care provider that I am signed up with preferred that I stay with the GP of record rather than starting up with someone new, only, they told me AFTER I called to schedule an appointment with her, that since I hadn't seen her in over 3 years, I'd be starting over. So why can't I find someone closer to my house? Why would I need to see her? I really should have insisted - that's on me.

    I called for an appointment in January - this is June. This is June 23, and it's the soonest they could get me scheduled to see her. Really? Are there that many people seeing the doctors that not only do I have to drive an extra 23 miles to see her only to be referred to someone closer, now I have to wait six months to have her check me out -- I have an issue that needs to be seen, but no, I have to wait -- good thing it's not cancer or something that causes me pain! Sure thing, I can remain in slight discomfort for another six months! No problem.

    I took off work today, which, as it turns out, I would have had to take off anyway. My daughter is recuperating from surgery, so yeah, I just happened to be off for the doctor, but nevertheless, I originally took off to see the doctor. I wake up, shower, shave, and put on all new, fresh, clean clothes, right? I also go the extra mile, and I roll off any extra dog or cat hair because you know, I'm nice like that. I drive the 23 miles to this doctor's new office, not one block from my house, but 23 miles away. The same large health complex is just one block from my house, with over 300 other doctors inside its walls.

    I arrive early. If you know me, I'm early. I'm never late. So, I get there, check in, realize I forgot my phone - but I'll survive that. I was born in a time when people didn't carry them. I was also born in a time when loud, obnoxious morning television shows weren't blaring in the waiting room without a way to turn them off. If I had seen a plug, I would have pulled it.  At 9:15, I was the only patient in the building, I think - my appointment was for 9:45, but I'm always early. Good thing too, because since NO ONE was in front of me, that means the doctor can see me sooner -- NOPE!

    The nurse came to get me so she could do all the prep work. She weighed me, took my blood pressure (122/80 mmHg) and my temperature (98.6°F), and asked me a few questions. She was really interested in my mental state; she asked me at least three different ways if I was depressed or anxious. No...just trying to get out of here so I can get on with my day -- I didn't say that, but I wanted to.  I've never been a depressed person; maybe pissed, but never really depressed. Low self-esteem is not one of my problems.

    After ensuring she understood my reasoning for coming in, the nurse informed me that the doctor couldn't help me. She wasn't an OB-GYN, and since all my other signs were good, the only other issue I had seemed chiropractic in nature; she wasn't wrong. The doctor could only "look" at my issue, not do anything about it - - so why did I have to wait six months again? Oh, I remember, because it had been more than 3 years since I saw her last! (DUMB reasoning)

    The nurse left, and she opened a door that led into where the doctor hangs out with the staff -- I could see the doctor. She'd gained a significant amount of weight since I last saw her. If I'm already overweight, which I am, and she's larger than me, (so is her nurse, and for that matter the two women I saw in the hang up room, as well as the one checking me in - all overweight -- not just a little) why am I listening to her about my health? She wasn't going to be able to do anything even if she did have a look-see "up there," so why would I let her look? Nope -- not today!

    I smiled when I saw her, and she smiled back. The other ladies in the hangout room smiled as well.  The door closed behind the nurse, and I waited for the doctor to come in to do whatever exam it was that she was going to do, but the whole time I was thinking this is such a waste of time. She can't do anything. I waited...and then I waited...I waited another few minutes, and decided that since I was KNOWINGLY the only patient in the clinic - and I was, why would it take the doctor 22 minutes to get into the exam room after the nurse had finished?

    There was ZERO reason for me to stay -- so I left. I stood up, walked out the door, and made it to the checkout area where I was just about to tell the lady that Dr. B can just go ahead and recommend an OB doctor -- I didn't have time to wait on her to finish her breakfast or whatever it was she was doing. Yeah, my appointment wasn't until 9:45, but if there is NO ONE in the office and I've been prepped, you can waddle into the office to tell me you can't help me -- or, I can do what I did...walk.

    The nurse caught me at the door, wanting to know if everything was OK. I told her it was apparently because if I had an emergency, I would have been in the hospital. I also told her that the doctor isn't the only professional, and that I didn't appreciate being left in the room waiting when I could see she had no other patients - I would NEVER have scheduled with her if I knew she couldn't do anything for me, and I told her if the doctor didn't get around to recommending an OB I could very well look one up myself  -- I am, after all, the person paying the bill. Yes, I was polite, but I did let her know I was not going to fall at her feet as perhaps some do.

    I'd blast her name, but that won't do any good. She's not going to lose 70 pounds or change her behavior if I do. It would only spread shade on me for being rude -- I can rein that in. I just think that a doctor should be healthy - is that too much to ask? If I had seen her smoking, I would have really been upset, but I know a lot of doctors do.  I drove the 23 miles home thinking, at least I put 46 miles on my car, which is more than I usually go in a month!  Progressive Insurance has been nagging me about it, saying I don't drive enough to warrant the discount for safe driving -- excuse me? If I'm not driving 40 miles a month, I'm pretty sure that's pretty safe driving!

    Anyway - that's my rant - my right to it as well.  I will schedule another appointment with an OB, and if I have to wait another 6 months, I'll be OK. I haven't had that area checked in something close to 35 years, so I guess if it hasn't been a bother, it hasn't been a bother — don't fix it if it ain't broken, right? Well, I'm not getting any younger, so I'll have it all checked thoroughly one more time - go another 35 years if I need to. I could go another 35 years without standing on a damn scale, that's for sure. Now,  I have to self-diet -- and I will. Sigh!

    

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