The Kiwis have left the building

I took Scott and Julie to the airport at noon today. We just had such a good visit. I was really concerned about taking time off from work, having people in my house where there usually are none, giving up my bed, having to entertain and think of things to do and places to go eat and what's going to happen next and keeping up the conversation.

And every single one of my worries were for naught.

They were such perfect guests. They were laid back and fun and not fussy and not stressed and did for themselves and felt at home and went with the flow and had great ideas. We had lots of laughs and great meals and saw lots of things and it was just perfect.

It was also just the perfect amount of time. I am whipped. My work in box is bulging but I think I'm going to let it fester until tomorrow. I am washing sheets and towels and have stripped the beds and will put them back together but after that, I think I'm just going to veg with my knitting and my TiVos until tomorrow.

Oh and can I just say that Staples Easy Rebates are just the greatest thing since sliced bread? On Wednesday, we visited several places looking to replace the bum memory for my laptop. Finally we neared a Staples and popped in. They had it (the other places 'were out') in stock and on sale and with a $30 rebate. My boss was paying and his instructions were to just replace it as quickly and easily as I could and he'd reimburse me whatever it took. And I hate rebates. BUT the 1 GB memory stick was $129 before the rebate which I thought was an excellent deal. I looked at the receipt this afternoon and saw where it looked like I could do the rebate thing online... instead of mailing in a bunch of shit. So I tried it. Fucking A! I did!! No fuss, no bother. Now, I will have to wait and it means getting a check and having to send said check to my bank etc. BUT still. This is excellent.

This is us on Wednesday. My friend, Susan's daughter - Christine - on the left. Then Julie. Then Scott. Then me.

The Kiwis have left the building

I took Scott and Julie to the airport at noon today. We just had such a good visit. I was really concerned about taking time off from work, having people in my house where there usually are none, giving up my bed, having to entertain and think of things to do and places to go eat and what's going to happen next and keeping up the conversation.

And every single one of my worries were for naught.

They were such perfect guests. They were laid back and fun and not fussy and not stressed and did for themselves and felt at home and went with the flow and had great ideas. We had lots of laughs and great meals and saw lots of things and it was just perfect.

It was also just the perfect amount of time. I am whipped. My work in box is bulging but I think I'm going to let it fester until tomorrow. I am washing sheets and towels and have stripped the beds and will put them back together but after that, I think I'm just going to veg with my knitting and my TiVos until tomorrow.

Oh and can I just say that Staples Easy Rebates are just the greatest thing since sliced bread? On Wednesday, we visited several places looking to replace the bum memory for my laptop. Finally we neared a Staples and popped in. They had it (the other places 'were out') in stock and on sale and with a $30 rebate. My boss was paying and his instructions were to just replace it as quickly and easily as I could and he'd reimburse me whatever it took. And I hate rebates. BUT the 1 GB memory stick was $129 before the rebate which I thought was an excellent deal. I looked at the receipt this afternoon and saw where it looked like I could do the rebate thing online... instead of mailing in a bunch of shit. So I tried it. Fucking A! I did!! No fuss, no bother. Now, I will have to wait and it means getting a check and having to send said check to my bank etc. BUT still. This is excellent.

This is us on Wednesday. My friend, Susan's daughter - Christine - on the left. Then Julie. Then Scott. Then me.

Reasonable-ation?

I put this into an envelope, stamped it and put it into a mail box that was scheduled to get picked up at 11 this morning.

-----------------------------------------

Dear Dr. xxxxxxx,

I appreciate your kind and sharing attitude and your respect of my health decisions. But, I am so very frustrated trying to communicate with you and your office. I’d like to share with you what it’s like from my end.

When I was in your office last, I told you that the Lisinopril was making me cough. You said that if I wanted to try something else, to call you.

On Monday, September 25, at 9:30 a.m. I did. I explained to Marci that the cough it caused was not something I wanted to live with and so I stopped taking the Lisinopril. I said that I’d like to try something else. She said you were not in and would it be ok to wait until Tuesday and I said fine.

I waited all day on Tuesday and never heard anything. I called at 4:30 and learned that Marci had left and there were no instructions on my chart. But the person who answered the phone said Marci would call on Wednesday. I explained that I would only be available by cell phone and left my number.

I vigilantly kept my cell phone turned on and handy. But, I got no call. When I got home on Wednesday I found a voice mail on my land line that Marci wanted me to call. It was, after hours so I called Thursday morning.

I was told that it was actually you who wanted to speak to me but you were too busy so you would call. I explained that I would only be available by cell phone and I left my number. I heard nothing until...

When I got home on Friday evening there was a voice mail from you saying you had called at 4:30. I know you did not call my cell phone. I had it turned on in hopes of hearing from you.

So in spite of my efforts to the contrary, I will be at least a week without the medication that you think I need to keep my blood pressure in check.

This is not an isolated situation. I have not been a patient that long but it has been long enough for me to learn that when you tell me you will call, you don’t. When Marci tells me she will call, most of the time I have to call back several times over several days before she does.

I do not know what, if any, are the results from the pap smear you took on September 8.

I know you are busy and my health not in jeopardy but, being treated this way is not fun. It is frustrating and insulting and I am concerned about what would happen if I was suffering and really needed your help.

I wanted a doctor I could turn to when I needed one and I’m not sure I have that yet.

If you would care to call me, my land line number is xxx-xxxx and my cell phone number is xxx-xxxxx. If you cannot reach me please feel free to leave a detailed and complete message in either message center. I’d be delighted for you to use my email address susandennis @ gmail.com.

Leaving messages for me to call you is not working. Please either leave me instructions or complete information in a voice or email or just don’t bother.

If there is a different way to get your attention and/or for me to receive needed information about your instructions, please let me know.

Thank you,

-------------------------------------------
I worried about this all last week. I mailed the letter and now I'm stressing about whether or not I am just being petty.

I could have called back on Tuesday and kept calling until I got satisfaction. Ditto on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It seems a little rude. "I don't believe you are going to call me so I'm just going to harrass you instead." But, it probably would have gotten the job done.

I really am more insulted than worried about my health. I spent lordknows how many years with high blood pressure and no medicine at all. Now I'm still taking some (she had me on two different medications and I'm still taking the one) and probably am better off than not taking anything.

I'm not in peril and I'm not in pain. The only thing that hurts are my feelings.

On the other hand... Is it necessary to put up with this kind of crap? Is this acceptable behavior for doctors? I'm not being facetious here. I honestly do not know. I have not dealt with a doctor in 20 years. Maybe this is just part of the game. Lawyers bill by the hour and you should expect to pay that way. Maybe doctors just need to be harassed for communications and expecting anything more is just not reasonable.

I'm not wild about having to find another doctor. It would be easier on one hand to accept that I am just being silly and I need to get used to this because it is the way things are. Probably, this letter insults her enough that I don't have a choice. Crap.

Reasonable-ation?

I put this into an envelope, stamped it and put it into a mail box that was scheduled to get picked up at 11 this morning.

-----------------------------------------

Dear Dr. xxxxxxx,

I appreciate your kind and sharing attitude and your respect of my health decisions. But, I am so very frustrated trying to communicate with you and your office. I’d like to share with you what it’s like from my end.

When I was in your office last, I told you that the Lisinopril was making me cough. You said that if I wanted to try something else, to call you.

On Monday, September 25, at 9:30 a.m. I did. I explained to Marci that the cough it caused was not something I wanted to live with and so I stopped taking the Lisinopril. I said that I’d like to try something else. She said you were not in and would it be ok to wait until Tuesday and I said fine.

I waited all day on Tuesday and never heard anything. I called at 4:30 and learned that Marci had left and there were no instructions on my chart. But the person who answered the phone said Marci would call on Wednesday. I explained that I would only be available by cell phone and left my number.

I vigilantly kept my cell phone turned on and handy. But, I got no call. When I got home on Wednesday I found a voice mail on my land line that Marci wanted me to call. It was, after hours so I called Thursday morning.

I was told that it was actually you who wanted to speak to me but you were too busy so you would call. I explained that I would only be available by cell phone and I left my number. I heard nothing until...

When I got home on Friday evening there was a voice mail from you saying you had called at 4:30. I know you did not call my cell phone. I had it turned on in hopes of hearing from you.

So in spite of my efforts to the contrary, I will be at least a week without the medication that you think I need to keep my blood pressure in check.

This is not an isolated situation. I have not been a patient that long but it has been long enough for me to learn that when you tell me you will call, you don’t. When Marci tells me she will call, most of the time I have to call back several times over several days before she does.

I do not know what, if any, are the results from the pap smear you took on September 8.

I know you are busy and my health not in jeopardy but, being treated this way is not fun. It is frustrating and insulting and I am concerned about what would happen if I was suffering and really needed your help.

I wanted a doctor I could turn to when I needed one and I’m not sure I have that yet.

If you would care to call me, my land line number is xxx-xxxx and my cell phone number is xxx-xxxxx. If you cannot reach me please feel free to leave a detailed and complete message in either message center. I’d be delighted for you to use my email address susandennis @ gmail.com.

Leaving messages for me to call you is not working. Please either leave me instructions or complete information in a voice or email or just don’t bother.

If there is a different way to get your attention and/or for me to receive needed information about your instructions, please let me know.

Thank you,

-------------------------------------------
I worried about this all last week. I mailed the letter and now I'm stressing about whether or not I am just being petty.

I could have called back on Tuesday and kept calling until I got satisfaction. Ditto on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It seems a little rude. "I don't believe you are going to call me so I'm just going to harrass you instead." But, it probably would have gotten the job done.

I really am more insulted than worried about my health. I spent lordknows how many years with high blood pressure and no medicine at all. Now I'm still taking some (she had me on two different medications and I'm still taking the one) and probably am better off than not taking anything.

I'm not in peril and I'm not in pain. The only thing that hurts are my feelings.

On the other hand... Is it necessary to put up with this kind of crap? Is this acceptable behavior for doctors? I'm not being facetious here. I honestly do not know. I have not dealt with a doctor in 20 years. Maybe this is just part of the game. Lawyers bill by the hour and you should expect to pay that way. Maybe doctors just need to be harassed for communications and expecting anything more is just not reasonable.

I'm not wild about having to find another doctor. It would be easier on one hand to accept that I am just being silly and I need to get used to this because it is the way things are. Probably, this letter insults her enough that I don't have a choice. Crap.

Thanks!

You guys are my sanity! Thank you so much for chiming in on my doctor quandary. I'm stressing over it no more. I'll give her a chance to fix the problem or I'll move on. I really appreciate your letting me know what's what.

Thanks!

You guys are my sanity! Thank you so much for chiming in on my doctor quandary. I'm stressing over it no more. I'll give her a chance to fix the problem or I'll move on. I really appreciate your letting me know what's what.