Just when I think I can be about as indignant as I thought I could be, some other situation comes along that makes my current source of irritation pale in comparison. I hope you will indulge me in spending a little time to give some background information that sets the stage. My hospital has a class for joint replacement patients that they like us to take before surgery: what equipment we need when we get home, how to get registered in the hospital on the surgery day, where family members wait,and how they find out about your progress during/after surgery, ordering meals, nutrition, at home nursing and physical therapy care-- all the. Nuts and bolts. I was required to attend on June 27th last month, and my family members were also "strongly encouraged" to attend as well. My husband and two sons all came with me.
I also go to a spine and nerve pain clinic because I have spinal stenosis in my neck and lumbar regions, along with some bulging disks, and other issues that make for some pretty painful days, especially when I'm tired or under a lot of stress . It was through that office that I got spinal injections and also get my Gabapentin Rx for my nerve pain. I was starting to lose my faith in their practice when the doctor told me I would be totally "out" when he took me to the OR to inject me in my spinal cord earlier in June. He lied. I was totally awake, terrified, and asking them when the anesthesia was going to start working. He took that moment in time- while I'm face down on the operating table! with a long needle sticking out of my spine to tell me that he read some research that it's better to not totally sedate patients for this procedure. Different story than what he told me in his office during the consult! They also wanted me to come in on June 27th to follow-up with the PA, who manages my pain medication, gabapentin being one of them. I explained the situation and that I could not miss my class. I could schedule when they asked me to, but it would be cutting it really close to schedule it at that time. I could end up being a few minutes late. They said they'd be fine with that if it was just a few minutes-- after all, it was them who were asking me to change my original appointment because some change in their schedule. Well, the joint prep class started late and ended late. Then the valet took a long time to bring our car. I could tell we would be late for the spine appointment, so as soon as we got our car, I extended the courtesy of calling the spine clinic to tell them we were running late, but we were on our way. The monotone voice at the other end of the phone said, "you have a 10 minute window.if you're later than that then we'll have to reschedule you." Again, I explained my situation, reminded them that I was told it would be ok, and that I had done them a favor by changing my appointment to this date to accommodate them, but they wouldn't budge: I had 10 minutes to get there, and that would be that! We drove as fast as we could and made it to the office building precisely 10 minutes after our scheduled appointment. By the time I limped from the parking lot to the office, I was more than 10 minutes late by about 90 seconds, and without a smile, apology, nothing, they made me reschedule. Note: there were no other patients waiting in the waiting room. I tried to plead my case: an appointment before surgery would be more helpful than after. I had just been informed in my class that riding in a car would be a challenge and should be avoided in the first 2-3 weeks after surgery if possible. They really didn't seem to care, and with dead pan expression said, "you were more than 10 minutes late, you will have to reschedule." Finally, I said, "ok, I guess there's no chance of flexibility here, so I'll reschedule, but if possible can I get the appointment before my surgery on the 11th?" No. nothing available until July 28!. I left upset and disappointed, but I said nothing.
So yesterday I arrived early with my husband 1:08 for a 1:20 appointment . I didn't get taken back to an exam room until 1:21. My PA arrived in the room at 1:31--11 minutes late! The PA started out by criticizing my surgeon for not writing an Rx for the gabapentin himself, then she criticized how much Percocet he'd prescribed for me. I told her that I had called her office multiple times and left messages and voice mails--when anyone actually picked up the phone. I also emailed her, and she never got back to me. I have been desperate for an increase in my gabapentin because of the nerve pain I've experienced in my leg since surgery. She said,"well, of course you'd have nerve pain after surgery in your leg. You have nerve damage from your lumbar spine, which goes down int your legs. You should be experiencing pain" so I asked, "why did no one tell me this before surgery?" She said, " well, if you'd been here on time for your appointment in June I could have told you then." That's when I could have lost it, but I stayed calm. I looked her clear in the face and said, "you turned me away in June because I was 11 minutes late, knowing my situation, and the reason why I was late. Today, You just walked into this room 11 minutes past my scheduled appointment time. You never apologized. You never greeted me or my husband,whom, you've never met beforeYou never responded to any of my phone calls or my email. Clearly your rules have a double standard. If I'm late, I have to reschedule. If you're late, that's my problem and I have to deal with it. Well, she lost her cool and said, " if you don't like it, I recommend you go see a different provider. I get 15 minutes with you. FIFTEEN MINUTES!!! So you can talk about your joint replacement class, the valet who took forever' and your emails and phone calls, or we can talk about your medication. Which would you like? Because if I go over our 15 minutes that throws off my whole day and makes other patents late. I looked at my husband in disbelief. He squeezed my hand and gave me a look like, "don't go off on her." So I said, "I would just like an increase in my gabapentin." She did something on her comouterand said, "fine then. It's done." Then she walked out of the room, no good bye, thank you, have a nice day, nothing, and I overheard her tell the receptionist to schedule my follow up appointment with a different provider. So now I'm in the process of filing a grievance against her. I really didn't need that! But I've got my gabapentin, so hopefully, the nerve pain will start to improve!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
United States
