Friday Justin and I went for a visit with my PCP - I've had ongoing health issues that have not been fully resolved for the past 5 years. We went to see this PCP last July and he was not very helpful, and so the fact that I anticipated a different outcome on Friday was a pure set up for failure on my part. We get to the hospital to check in and we were excited to see that there are now self registration kiosks!! So we skip on over to the kiosk and the sign says "Self registration from 8 am - 5 pm" we glance at our watches to see it is 815 am - Just in time to self register! We are met by a woman saying we can't check in until 800 am and she's having some trouble with the computers. She makes us get in the "regular" check out line because it's not yet time to self register. We wait in line and finally she waves us over and tells us we can self check in - it was fast and easy. Too bad it wasn't any faster than standing in the "regular" line. We are called back to the doctor's office within a few minutes of our arrival. The "nurse" called us back and proceeded to tell me what she wanted me to do without ever speaking to me. She pointed to the scale but never said a word. Pulled out the blood pressure cuff but never said she was going to take my blood pressure. I gave her the benefit of the doubt that she was simply mute. She left, without a word of course, and left Justin and I to sit and wait The doctor comes in and I tell him that the complaints I presented with in July are still present and I'm back to address them like he instructed. Of course he had NO clue what my "previous complaints" were so we had to start all over. I hate going to this doctor, not sure why I persist other than it takes too long to get established with a PCP in this town, because he always seems to not believe me. He will write down my symptoms but his facial expressions and "um-hum" and "Oh's" are those of disbelief. Then he tells me, "Well the first step is to do a pregnancy test - do you think I should do that? I mean it's protocol, but do you think we should do it?" He goes on with this question for a few moments, and finally I say, "Let's just do it." So I go do the test, and he comes back and informs me that is the only test in the family practice protocol he can order today so he suggests I go to a specialist. However, he tells me that it will take me months to get in and shows me to the front desk, "She'll help you make your next appointment if you're nice enough," and he walks off!!! So I approach the counter and tell her what I need and she promptly gives me a phone number, "Call this number to make the appointment - Have a great day!!" So much for the help making the appointment, or maybe I wasn't nice enough. So to sum it up - I woke up at 730 am on a Friday - the Friday of my 2 day spring break (yes 2 days) - to pee in a cup and to be given a phone number. In my professional opinion I think I should have slept in, and opened up the local phone book.
