Yesterday was a bad day
Saturday, October 22, 20059:41:00 AM EDT
Feeling Frustrated
Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment.
It was with an Orthopedist and i waited 2 months for the appointment. I knew what was wrong before i went. A torn Rotary Cuff in my right shoulder. They told me to pick up my MRI before comming to the doctors office.
I guess I should tell you that the only way i could afford to go see this specialist was to have Charity Care. I'm not proud of it but it's a fact of life that was delt to me. So I waited the 2 months in hopes something could be done to relieve the constant pain.
The first thing that went wrong was the taxi driver. I have to use them because i don't drive. Well, I did drive at one time but i can't afford insurance anymore, so... i don't drive. I gave him the address of the place i needed to go to pick up the MRI.. he mistakenly took me to that same address in the WRONG town!.. after we got that straightened out and i finally got what i needed he took me to the doctors, a normal 7.00 ride. Well, it seems he decided to charge me for HIS mistake.. the trip TO the doctors was more then double a round trip!
"How much?",
"15.00"
"Did i hear right, 15.00?"
It took me by surprise but there wasn't anything i could do. The driver barely spoke English.. that's another subject that sets me off!
So, here i sit broken hearted, paid a dime and only... never mind. When i went in the waiting room i was shocked. Talk about a full house! I groaned, I knew I was in for a long wait, I just didn't know how long. I had an appointment for 2:45, and i settled in knowing that wasn't about to happen. But, but.. maybe there are other doctors here? A woman came out of the doctors area and asked if anyone there was for Dr. so and so, or Dr. whoever. No one moved or raised a hand. My internal stomach was beginning to churn.
All of the people in that waiting room were in the same position as i was... Charity Care. I began to talk to the lady sitting next to me and asked what time her appointment was. 1:30 (groan) that was an hour ahead of mine and she was still sitting here.
As time went by.. went by... went by.. my depression began to take over. I'm not used to leaving my disabled brother alone for too long. I called him to tell him this might take a really long time and not to worry.
More time passed.
5 o'clock, 6'oclock.. 7 o'clock (2:45 was a long way away).. the lady next to me finally got called. I went outside and had a slight cry for myself. Last I had heard being poor wasn't a crime, but i knew if i had an expensive health insurance I would have been seen long ago. I only remember feeling this bad about myself one other time (well a group of times, but same circumstances). It was when my mother, who was raising 2 kids alone, ( back in those days woman didn't make the same money as men.) Well, ocassionally a bill would get past due, like the gas or electric. My mother would hand me the money and tell me to run in and pay the bill and she would drove around the block because there were no parking spaces. I'd go in and pay the bill.. but the look i would get as i paid the past due bill was one of disgust.. they looked at me like i was lower then dirt. I never forgot it.. never.
It was 9 pm before i got to see the doctor. They did an x-ray of my shoulder, which made me wonder why i had to bring the MRI with me? By then my compaints of pain were told to him with embarrassment. Thankfully i was told i don't need surgery.. yet. And with some excercises it might get better. I have 3 weeks to try this and then if it isn't better i get to wait 2 more months for an appointment and who knows how many hours in the waiting room.
It was really a bad, bad day.
"When life hands you lemons.. stick them in your bra. Can't hurt, might help"
Feeling Frustrated
Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment.
It was with an Orthopedist and i waited 2 months for the appointment. I knew what was wrong before i went. A torn Rotary Cuff in my right shoulder. They told me to pick up my MRI before comming to the doctors office.
I guess I should tell you that the only way i could afford to go see this specialist was to have Charity Care. I'm not proud of it but it's a fact of life that was delt to me. So I waited the 2 months in hopes something could be done to relieve the constant pain.
The first thing that went wrong was the taxi driver. I have to use them because i don't drive. Well, I did drive at one time but i can't afford insurance anymore, so... i don't drive. I gave him the address of the place i needed to go to pick up the MRI.. he mistakenly took me to that same address in the WRONG town!.. after we got that straightened out and i finally got what i needed he took me to the doctors, a normal 7.00 ride. Well, it seems he decided to charge me for HIS mistake.. the trip TO the doctors was more then double a round trip!
"How much?",
"15.00"
"Did i hear right, 15.00?"
It took me by surprise but there wasn't anything i could do. The driver barely spoke English.. that's another subject that sets me off!
So, here i sit broken hearted, paid a dime and only... never mind. When i went in the waiting room i was shocked. Talk about a full house! I groaned, I knew I was in for a long wait, I just didn't know how long. I had an appointment for 2:45, and i settled in knowing that wasn't about to happen. But, but.. maybe there are other doctors here? A woman came out of the doctors area and asked if anyone there was for Dr. so and so, or Dr. whoever. No one moved or raised a hand. My internal stomach was beginning to churn.
All of the people in that waiting room were in the same position as i was... Charity Care. I began to talk to the lady sitting next to me and asked what time her appointment was. 1:30 (groan) that was an hour ahead of mine and she was still sitting here.
As time went by.. went by... went by.. my depression began to take over. I'm not used to leaving my disabled brother alone for too long. I called him to tell him this might take a really long time and not to worry.
More time passed.
5 o'clock, 6'oclock.. 7 o'clock (2:45 was a long way away).. the lady next to me finally got called. I went outside and had a slight cry for myself. Last I had heard being poor wasn't a crime, but i knew if i had an expensive health insurance I would have been seen long ago. I only remember feeling this bad about myself one other time (well a group of times, but same circumstances). It was when my mother, who was raising 2 kids alone, ( back in those days woman didn't make the same money as men.) Well, ocassionally a bill would get past due, like the gas or electric. My mother would hand me the money and tell me to run in and pay the bill and she would drove around the block because there were no parking spaces. I'd go in and pay the bill.. but the look i would get as i paid the past due bill was one of disgust.. they looked at me like i was lower then dirt. I never forgot it.. never.
It was 9 pm before i got to see the doctor. They did an x-ray of my shoulder, which made me wonder why i had to bring the MRI with me? By then my compaints of pain were told to him with embarrassment. Thankfully i was told i don't need surgery.. yet. And with some excercises it might get better. I have 3 weeks to try this and then if it isn't better i get to wait 2 more months for an appointment and who knows how many hours in the waiting room.
It was really a bad, bad day.
"When life hands you lemons.. stick them in your bra. Can't hurt, might help"
posted by DesLily | 12:56 PM
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