Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling

So as part of a return to my regularly scheduled life yesterday, it was time to get caught up with doctor appointments. First I called physical therapy about my ankle. I had seen the doctor a week and a half ago and she said 'I'll fax your order to PT and they should call you Monday'. Hah, I knew better so I planned on calling in a week myself. I called and they said 'we are running a six week backlog'. SIX WEEKS? The whole point is to heal my ankle... So she helpfully suggested I call other places (and was surprised the doctor wasn't aware of the backlog - all doctors knew about it). And I was told the woman who helped me with my back last year is now gone so there is no way I can get here - time to break in a new PT person (they cringe with my medical history).

So I called the hospital's less local PT area, and they said 'six weeks is way too long to wait, let me get your orders faxed here and see what we can do'. They called me back and I now am going next Wednesday for PT assessment and then have PT sessions scheduled twice a week for three weeks - and they are all at 730AM or 630PM. Gee, they can see my perky side first thing in the morning. Maybe I'll bring them coffee or something.

Then with that scheduling debacle resolved, for the third time, I called my radiation oncologist's office to find out about when my next follow up is planned. I had completely forgotten to ask when I saw her last when I would see her again. The first two calls were answered by Ann-the-idiot (see my post from August about her) and I never got a return call or anything scheduled. My next call was going to be to the nursing supervisor to get an answer and file a complaint. But now I know she is an idiot and if she answers when I call again, my request will be to speak with someone who knows what they are doing.

Anyway, I got a nurse on the phone who could locate and read the doctor's notes. Apparently the doctor wants to see me back on a three month recall instead of six. This seems like a little back step to me but since I am the patient patient, I will bide my time and talk to her when I see her in December (which isn't really three months, but four since the idiot didn't resolve my earlier requests, there is nothing available sooner). I definitely will plan on asking the doctor about a three month call back instead of six but this is the same doctor who is very proactive on tests, etc to correctly diagnose issues. And between PT and doctor appointments, I have 11 trips planned to the hospital in the next six weeks. I can't wait. And none of them coincide with the flu shot clinic so I will have to make a separate trip.

Otherwise, I sort of feel like I am getting back on top of things. I have a horribly overscheduled week, instead of an overscheduled day. But I am back home and Walter is back home so we are all back together again.

1 comment:

Kelley Sing said...

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