Friday, December 5, 2008

That's Messed Up

Here in Nashville there is a TV station that has a segment called "That's Messed Up", where they try to help people that have messed up situations.  Well, today was a segment in our life that is totally messed up.  After a day like today, I am even more against socialized medicine.  Sarah had her 6 month follow-up appointment for her tonsil and tube surgery in May.  Yes, I can do the math and it is more than 6 months.  Yes, I made this appointment back in May and this was what was available.  This is at Vanderbilt Clinic and our Dr. is no longer there so we are seeing a new doc.  I don't know if that was figured into the extended 6 months date, but it really was only a few weeks past the 6 month mark.  Ok, lets get to the story(that was just a warming up to things to come!!!).  We arrive at Vanderbilt and after spending 20 minutes trying to park in one of those weirdly designed parking spaces in the parking deck (the east one!), we make it to the office with 10 minutes to spare.  We sign in at the computer.  About 5 minutes later we sign in with a person.  I promise they really make you sign in twice!  We then waited about 10 minutes in the waiting room.  Not bad I am thinking.  We go to the room and the nurse signs us in(it is different than the other 2!!!).  We then wait, and wait, and wait.  Elijah is hungry and ask to eat the snack we brought.  Both kids snack.  Then Elijah ask for the billionth time, "How much longer?".  Then I hear "Can we go home" for the thousandth time.  "I am tired of waiting" he whines for the 500th time.  Sarah has managed to lick everything that does not move while I am trying to retrieve her doll and Elmo for the gizillionth time.  I am being totally accurate on the amount of times these things occur.  I promise, it at least seemed that many, because you see we waited an hour and a half.  Then I go out and ask how much longer.  The nurse practitioner comes in and says that she will check Sarah.  She does and then says, "Ok, he should be right in."  I am getting a bit anxious.  I figure that if she sees us and that is suppose to help and then she says the dr will be right in then something must be wrong with the tubes, RIGHT?  Wrong.  About 10 minutes later the Dr walks in and introduces himself and ask if we have seen him before since our doc is no longer here.  Yes, we saw you at the hospital and you made us stay another night even when I begged to go home after Sarah's surgery.  His comment that I totally loved, "Oh, wow she has really grown."  Do you think?  We only saw you for a few minutes over 6 months ago and she was asleep in my lap and you can tell she has grown, yet you can not remember if we have met before?  Hmm, "Yes she has."  He looked in her ears and throat and said see you in 9 months.  It took me longer to type this, than he was in the room.  I looked at my watch when he arrived and left........3 whole minutes.  Go figure.  How is it that he is so late seeing us if his visits are that short?  We have been seeing our pediatrician for 5 years now and I can only remember her running about 30 minutes late one time and that was with a very sick child they were working with before sending them to the hospital.  We typically wait a total of 15 minutes and then she spends tons of time with us.  At our last well visit with both kids she spent about 40 minutes with us checking the kids and talking.  That is care that I do not mind waiting on!!  It is late tonight, I will post pictures tomorrow!

Posted on by Oily Special Momma | 4 comments

4 friends said:

Mommy to those Special Ks said...

Ahhh did you see Dr. Werkhaven?! I bet you did. He's REALLY tall... good doc but no beside manner at all. The ENT clinic sucks. I think Keeghan has an appointment there in January. I'm SO looking forward to it. Not. LOL

Oily Special Momma said...

nope, we say Goudy. I hate vandy all the way around. I know they are a great resource, but they are a pain to deal with. But, without them I don't know what we would do. With all of Sarah's breathing issues, no one else would put her to sleep! Oh well, praying the tubes stay in and we do not have to return for 9 months!!! HAve fun in January!

Mommy to those Special Ks said...

For some reason I thought Dr. Goudy LEFT! He is Keeghan's ENT too. I'm not sure why I thought he was gone... maybe because all the other ENTs from there have left on us! haha Are you going to the Down syndrome clinic Christmas party on Saturday?

Oily Special Momma said...

He is still there. Can't say I really like him, but oh well. Praying that her tubes stay in!! We are not going to the DS party on Sat we are heading to Mississippi. Oh the fun of traveling with kids. I hear the party is usually fun. Maybe one year we can make it. Are you going?