This morning, before I was out of bed, someone from Dr Hernandez's office called to say I needed to make an appointment with an audiologist. They wanted to know if I could do it Thursday or Friday. I explained that I would be in Miami on Thursday and Friday. They said that Dr Beth Walden (an audiologist I happen to know) would see me anytime next week. I said I would have to check my schedule. She didn't like that answer so the lady says to me, "Does that mean you are declining to have the test done?" I said, "No, it means I am not in front of my computer and don't have my schedule for next week. I'll have to call you back when I get to the office." She says, fine and hangs up.
After this conversation I get up, take a shower, get changed for work and sit down for breakfast when the phone rings again. This time it is a different lady from Dr. Hernandez's office asking me if I can come in on Thursday for an audiology test. At this point I am reaching the outer limit of self control. I told the lady that this was the third time in less than 24 hours that someone at Hernandez's office has tried to schedule me for an appointment on Thursday or Friday. Her response was that the doctor is very concerned about my medical condition. I said (for the third time) that I would call once I got to the office and could see my schedule.
While I was eating breakfast I had an e-mail from Scott Lunin recommending two other doctors in town for me to see. (Apparently he read the last blog!) I checked and one of the two is an "in network" provider and close to my office. After I got to the office I called Scott's office and asked them to make an appointment with Dr Moss to get the hearing test done next week. His office promptly called back and said I have an appointment at 9:45AM on Tuesday the 12th. Perfect!
At that point, I called Dr. Hernandez back and explained that I preferred to use an in-network provider. They were surprised I even bothered to call to tell them I was not going back. (I guess they never thought they would hear from me again.) Hopefully, they will send whatever notes they have to Dr. Moss, so I am not doing another preliminary exam. I will laugh if Dr Moss peeks in my ears and then sends me to see Beth Walden!
Just to catch you up on our happenings: tomorrow Yoko and I will head to Miami. I have some insurance training sponsored by John Hancock. We are staying at the Ritz Carlton in Coconut Grove. Eric and Diane Madsen are planing to meet us in Hollywood for dinner on Friday night. We have return home by noon Saturday because "The Cappiello Group at Morgan Stanley" is the presenting sponsor of The Fiddler on the Roof to benefit St Vincent de Paul Community Healthcare. I have 14 tickets and I have 10 people so far that are pledged to go with us. (I need to find two more couples.) We will probably all go out somewhere after the show on Saturday.
Sunday morning is golf league. (I shot 82 last week and am anxious to try and break 80 again this week.) Sunday afternoon Yoko and I are headed up to Venice to have dinner with Linda Oppe's parents (Mom and Dad Friscia). Monday night after work we go to The Charlotte County Republican Club for dinner; Tuesday night I have a Project Graduation meeting. Wednesday is another St Vincent de Paul board meeting. Thursday is valentines day! And Friday I begin a new regiment of chemo.
Life comes at you fast...
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2 comments:
I can’t stand the way the medical profession treats their “clients”, and your story is a perfect example. I have, in fact, fired doctors- to their faces – walked out of their offices if they were more than 15 minutes late (without explanation), and I was noisy about it to the waiting room ( “I guess he thinks his time is more valuable than mine .. if I did this in my business, I would be OUT of business” …)
I had even sent them bills for my time due to their lack of customer service (along with the requisite “OVER DUE” requests and threats to go to a collection agency- they REALLY didn’t like that approach).
I searched until I found the right Doctor – my current Dr (of almost 10 years now) calls if he’s going to be late, sees me within 5 minutes of my appointment, and makes himself available to me any time I call (which, thankfully, is a seldom occurrence). We, as consumers, must demand competitive service. If we don’t, no one else is going to make them treat us right.
Then again, I don’t have cancer, so my soapbox is a little small.
Wait a minute !! … I did have cancer (prostate), but my care was as excellent as it seems Scott is giving you. Maybe it’s those damnable “specialist” who think they really ARE special.
On another note – I am now going on my third week of no smoking. I went on the Chantrix regimen and it’s been surprisingly effective. I haven’t slipped at all since the quite date, and the cravings are few and moderately far away. This is a surprising development since I have been smoking constantly and consistently since I was 17 years old. To be able to quite without physically assaulting someone and landing in jail is no small feat, and I was not looking forward to the experience. I guess you could count this as a testimonial for the drug regimine … or a paean to my stubbornness.
Frank. Chantix is how I quit and it works if you continue taking the drug for the 3 to 6 months as prescribed. I never had any withdrawal symptoms and it made it easy for me to quit. I tried a million times before and never succeeded. Only wish now the drug was available 20 years ago! It is the methadone of nicotine addiction!
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