Pixie Dust for Mom again AND Doctor RANT!

[TinkerbellT421]

Sorry for the length but I need Pixie Dust for Mom and I need to RANT to SOMEONE who could possibly understand my frustrations. I have been emotionally drained for days with what has been happening with my mom.

Previously I had posted a while back in November in regards to taking my mother to a "new" doctor, well after that whole nightmare we decided to take her back to her original primary care doctor. Fast forward to now. So three weeks ago DBF and I were out of town (but only about two hours away) for a weekend get away when I checked in with my mom (74 y/o) to see how she was doing etc., well she informed me that about an hour earlier she had felt dizzy and passed out/blacked out and fell over the dog gate we had up the separated the kitchen and dinning room and hurt her rib area. Well needless to say DBF and I rush home and brought her to the emergency room. They kept her for four days for evaluation. They found she had "contusions" on her ribs, thank god no breaks! but kept her to make sure she didn't develop Pneumonia. They performed, EKG's, MRI, X Ray and CT Scan, to which the only thing they found was that on her X Ray there was a "nodule", to which I still have no answer for and yet NOT ONE Doctor seems to be at all concerned about!? AND I did not find this out until LAST WEEK when I took her to her Primary care doctor for a follow up. So they chalked up her episode to her Hypoglycemia. So now I am dealing with visiting nurses (I am not even going to go there, they drive my blood pressure up :mad:) coming to our home once a week, per hospital orders. Well I take her to her primary care on the 10th as follow up. This Dr. requests two tests, an Ultra Sound of her Corotid's (she already had surgery on her right Corotid due to blockage about ten years ago) and an Ultra Sound of her Thyroid (she is already on Synthroid for Thyroid issues). So I take her for those tests on the 17th. I never hear back so on Tuesday afternoon I call the Dr. for the results. I speak with the girl answering the phone (no offense, but when it comes to test results I want someone to tell me that I can ask medical questions to) and she all but says "Oh, well, they found 50% blockage in her left corotid", so my first response was shock, second was fear and third was my question "So what does that mean?" her response was "Oh, I dont know I have to talk to the doctor", so I said okay can you have him call me please I have questions I want answered. Well the rest of Tuesday comes and goes, Wednesday, by 1:30pm I have not heard anything so I call, come to find out they left at 1pm for the day. So yesterday by 11am I did not hear back, so I call, I speak with the same girl and she says "Oh yea I spoke with the Dr. and he wants her to go for a Neuro Test" and then there's a long pause, silly me thinking she will tell me what I need to know. So after about a minute I was like "Okay, what does that mean?" SHe said she has to see a Neurologist. So I'm like okay "Is this of concern, is this test have something to do with the blockage, who what where when why how" and she says "Oh I don't know" so finally I said "Okay can you PLEASE have the Dr call me I have questions I would like answered, concerns I want addressed" She says "Sure". SO by 2:30pm I don't hear back, I call and she says "He returns calls at the end of the day" "Okay, what time is that about?" "About 4:30pm", okay fine. So I get out of work at 4:30, home by 4:35, finally by 6:30pm of waiting by my cell phone, not even going to the bathroom without taking it with me, I realize HE's NOT CALLING! :mad::-o This morning I get to work at 8am, I call the Dr's office immediately and leave a message with the answering service that I am LIVID and I want the Doctor to call me as soon as he is in the office. They open at 9am. Well I just hung up with the girl at the office, at 10:30am, who returned my call, AGAIN INSTEAD OF THE DOCTOR, and she says "The neuro tests are to make sure there is no blockage of blood flow to the brain", okay fine, "First I'm still ****** the doctor hasn't called me" "Oh, he left early yesterday" (Thinking to myself I'm like SAY WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!?) At this point I am so mad and upset I am in tears, I cannot take this! I am so confused, bewildered, angry at doctors, I am balling my eyes out even as I type this. So I ask a few questions and I'm like ya know what fine "Who do I send her to, what do I do, do I bring papers? Do I just say she needs a neuro test, what kind of neuro tests because there is about ten different kinds, like what am I doing?" And she says "Call this Dr." gives me the name, address, phone number, and she says "Make an appointment" and I'm like "what am I making an appointment for?!" she says "Neuro test". I'm like so you are telling me I call this doctor and just say "Um yea hi I would like to schedule a Neuro test for my mother"? She said "Well kinda, give them the current information and then when they contact us I will fax our records over to them". Okay fine, so I hang up with her. I call this Doctor/Neurologist office and I speak with a very nice girl, Tell her who I am and why I am calling and that I was referred to call, she says "Oh you want to speak to a Neuro Surgeon. At the point I lost it, I started balling my eyes out, and just hysterical. She must have felt so bad because she just kept saying "Oh my god I am so sorry", I was like it's not your fault I am so stressed right now and I tell her the details and her response was "Really? So it sounds like they pretty much don't want to do anything now do they" (in response to my recent exchange with my Doctors office. So this girl said she will contact them and call me back in a half hour. I am so ultimately FED up with Doctors, Doctors Staff, etc. I am so stressed, upset and trying to stay strong in front of my mother to not make her upset so then I hold all this inside and then I get to the point that I just can't take it and just ball my eyes out.

So sorry for my rant, thank you to anyone who has read this, I just needed someone to vent to.

Please send pixie dust my mom's way, she could use it :(

[VWL Mom]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Unless this doctor is that special you should probably take her elsewhere. Him not taking the time to talk to you is just unacceptable in my book unless of course she never added you on her hippa forms.

At least you seem to have found a friend at the neuro's office. Speak to here when you take your mom and get a recommendation from her.

Sending extra pixie dust your way, hang in there.
:pixie::pixie::pixie::pixie:

[AgentC]

Oh wow. I am so sorry. I can not even imagine how stressful this must be.

Hugs to you and pixie dust to your mom.

[minnie04]

I'm so sorry your going through this.... (((HUGS))) for you and your mom. I hope everything works out...

:pixie::pixie::pixie:

[Jfamily]

Call the primary's office back and ask for the Office Manger. Tell them you will not hang up until you speak to them. Then explain everything to that person. If you still don't get answers call your mom's insurance company and report the office.

[stephicakes]

Great idea Jfamily! And I would have to agree with VWL Mom... I would look into finding a better, more professional doctor (I know probably not what you want to hear after all your fiascos with doctors!) but it sounds like her PCP is not reliable. I'm sure you have done research online and asked around for recommendations - there has got to be a better doctor in your area! My own mom has been battling cancer since 2002 and she always gets a second opinion on all diagnosis and treatment suggestions. She once told me, "I get a second opinion on my car before I fix it, why wouldn't I do the same with my body?!" Good point :)

Also, if you get a second opinion you will be able to ask if ALL tests are necessary. Sometimes unethical doctors will order unneeded test just for the insurance $. I used to work for an insurance agency (life, accident & health) and the stories I would hear were crazy!

I am so sorry you are going through this tough time :( Just remember... one day at a time (sometimes one hour at a time)! We are all sending you pixie dust to help make it through!! Hang in there!

:hug::pixie:

[TinkerbellT421]

Thank you all for listening to my rant and sending well wishes and pixie dust :)


I'm so sorry you're going through this. Unless this doctor is that special you should probably take her elsewhere. Him not taking the time to talk to you is just unacceptable in my book unless of course she never added you on her hippa forms.

At least you seem to have found a friend at the neuro's office. Speak to here when you take your mom and get a recommendation from her.


Sad part is, I took her to two different doctors (last experience with the "new" doctor in November is listed around here somewhere) that ended up being a complete nightmare. Brought her to a second "new" doctor, OH MY, TEN times worse than her original (the one I am venting of now) doctor. Hence why we went back to said "original" doctor :mad: I have had my fill of these people. It is so frustrating. I have lost all hope into finding a "good" doctor. But I will continue to try and do some research in the mean time. And you are so right, I will be asking if there is anyone they would recommend.


Call the primary's office back and ask for the Office Manger. Tell them you will not hang up until you speak to them. Then explain everything to that person. If you still don't get answers call your mom's insurance company and report the office.

Sad part is, this girl in the office I am venting about......WAS the office manager :confused:, which made my blood boil even more. It is a "small" office, with two office girls, the one I was speaking to this morning, and the second "answer the phone" girl who has even the worst attitude I have ever seen in my life. I am waiting to find another doctor, get records sent over to whoever the new doctor was, then I will definitely be filing a complaint somewhere. Just scared to now because dealing with this stuff makes me paranoid for what type of "vengeance" they could possibly release. I hate to think that way but it's hard not to with some things I have seen heard or read about today's world.


Great idea Jfamily! And I would have to agree with VWL Mom... I would look into finding a better, more professional doctor (I know probably not what you want to hear after all your fiascos with doctors!) but it sounds like her PCP is not reliable. I'm sure you have done research online and asked around for recommendations - there has got to be a better doctor in your area! My own mom has been battling cancer since 2002 and she always gets a second opinion on all diagnosis and treatment suggestions. She once told me, "I get a second opinion on my car before I fix it, why wouldn't I do the same with my body?!" Good point :)

Also, if you get a second opinion you will be able to ask if ALL tests are necessary. Sometimes unethical doctors will order unneeded test just for the insurance $. I used to work for an insurance agency (life, accident & health) and the stories I would hear were crazy!

I am so sorry you are going through this tough time :( Just remember... one day at a time (sometimes one hour at a time)! We are all sending you pixie dust to help make it through!! Hang in there!

:hug::pixie:

I can only imagine what you have seen and heard!

Again, thank you all for the advice, thoughts and pixie dust, it helps me feel better knowing someone, somewhere cares :mickey:

Quick update, I spoke with the Neurologist office girl this afternoon. She was so sweet. I had forgotten her name so when I called the office, I apologized to the woman who answered and I told her "I am sorry I forgot her name she was a very pleasant girl I spoke with this morning in regards to my mother", the woman said "Hmmmm, a very nice girl huh? I'm sorry you have the wrong office" I just about split in half laughing, I was like WOW I needed that laugh today, so she ended up finding the girl Deb, so pleasant! I can tell she actually likes her job! She told me that come to find out my mother needs testing done of the brain to make sure that there is not anything causing her black out, vertigo spells associated with the brain, that the tests actually do not have anything to do with the corotid blockage and that typically doctor's are not concerned about corotid blockages until there is about 70-80% blockage. I started crying and was like "Wow, you know what, you just told me and explained to me more about my concerns than my mothers own primary care office did". You know what she said? She said that when she called the PC office, that the girl she talked to on the phone she actually had to tell her to STOP with her attitude. She said the girl gave her such a hard time and attitude that she said "Look, I'm doing my job and you have to do your job and answer my questions so I know how to treat this patient". I was like WOW so I am not the only one that thinks there is a HUGE attitude issue in there? I do know that when my mother has to go in August for a follow up of blood work and I get that doctor in the room, I am going to tell him everything that happened and let him know how upset and disappointed I am. And I am sure it is not going to make a bit of difference, but will make me feel better know that I catch his ear and tell him what he might not know.

[TinkerbellT421]

Also, if you get a second opinion you will be able to ask if ALL tests are necessary. Sometimes unethical doctors will order unneeded test just for the insurance $. I used to work for an insurance agency (life, accident & health) and the stories I would hear were crazy!


I forgot to mention this in my last reply. YOU ARE SO RIGHT! The second "new" doctor I talked about just a minute ago that I took my to in November was EXACTLY like this! They had a "follow up" appointment ONCE A WEEK! YES, ONCE A WEEK, and you had no idea what it was for. You never saw the doctor, always a "PA" but yet would get billed for a "doctor" visit. Had me all worried about things that come to find out were possibly not even accurate nor true according to a second and third opinion. Even though that "second new" doctor didn't seen to be any better, in the office category anyway. And would always "lose" test results. Sad part is? If you google the doctor's name you cannot even IMAGINE the complaints you see from tons of people, about the same things. So sad and pathetic when people are just after the dollar signs and not actually CARE about the patient.

[minnie04]

Call the primary's office back and ask for the Office Manger. Tell them you will not hang up until you speak to them. Then explain everything to that person. If you still don't get answers call your mom's insurance company and report the office.

:thumbsup: Great Idea!! They may not know you have been calling and getting the run around.And if you still get no were. I would take it as far as showing up or calling another Dr. if they don't care then it's time to move on...Mom is too important :mickey:

[Jeff]

Wow! What an ordeal!

[Disney Hungarian]

So sad to hear you are being treated this way. I offer hope.

My mom had some of the same issues with her PCP. I live in the middle of no where and they have a simple rural health clinic about 5 miles from me. I took mom there one day and she loved it. We signed all of the papers and had her medical records sent to the new PCP that she liked. All I can say is WOW what a difference a good PCP can make. He actually calls me from time to time just to ask how my mom is doing!!! He always sets up an appointment a few days before I take her on any trip just to make sure she will not have any problems on the road. She get infections easily and has no symptoms until it is too late and it requires a hospital stay.

Keep your chin up. There are some amazing PCPs out there. I hope you find one of them.

[brownie]

Sorry for all your troubles! Since this isn't Disney-related, I'm sending it to the Water Cooler.

[TheVBs]

I am so sorry for all you and your mom are going through. Lots of :pixie: for both of you!

No one should have been treated the way you were. It sounds like they were intentionally avoiding you/giving you the run around and just passing you off to someone else. I know it's overwhelming to find another doctor in the midst of all this, but I would not take your mother back that office. In addition I would find out if there's a state agency where you can lodge an official complaint about this, and let that office know that you're doing it!

[TinkerbellT421]

Thank you all for the advice. I will definitely be doing some research in the weeks to come. Mom will be seeing the neurologist in June for some neuro testing, the girls in the office there were great so I will see if they can give me any advice or referrals for a pcp.

[MissMaryPoppins]

My mom has gone through some health issues over the last couple of years and I came to Florida to help her and my Dad out. Healthcare in Florida is awful.at least the doctors and hospitals we've dealt with are. Luckily, my mother is a nurse and I'm in healthcare so we knew enough to speak up when something wasn't right. My mother's PCP has gotten much better with her care and my Father's as well since my mom and I went to talk to him about our concerns. He listens and takes time at her appointments. My mom was diagnosed 10 yrs ago with a very are blood disorder and did great after seeing a specialist in Boston and being put on the right medications after some tests. Unfortunately in march she began having some trouble and no doctors in Florida, we did research, know enough about the disease to treat her correctly. Her doctors told us they was nothing they could and she was just going to get worse. An oncologist my mom worked with came to see us and told us to go back to the specialist in Boston
who diagnosed her initially. He would know more than anyone here, so we did. We
decided that since the dr's here didn't know enough about the disease they couldn't
make an official prognosis and kept telling ourselves that. When we went to see the
specialist he told us exactly that when my mom asked him if she was dying, like we
had been lead to believe. He apologized that we were told that and said my Mother's
life span was no shorter than mine or his. He assured us that once he ran some tests, adjusted her medications she would be fine. We walked out of the office feelings much relief, we even went out to celebrate that night. What made me so mad was how they were quick to label something they didn't understand and give a grim prognosis when they knew they could be wrong. When we were living in NJ, my Mother's doctors communicated and shared information, they even spoke to her specialist in Boston to
make sure they were treating her correctly. Doctors in Florida don't do that. It amazes
me how much laziness and incompetence there is in this state. I'm not like that in anyway and I can't stand it in others. It's beyond frustrating. I hope your mother does well at the neurologist and that she finds a good PCP. They're out there, it just takes some hunting. I'd advice getting a copy of the PCP's records on you Mother and bringing them with you when you see someone else instead of having the office fax or mail them to the new one.

[Ian]

I have to say, when I had to deal with the doctors when my Grandmother was ill back in 2010 I was pretty much appalled at how indifferent and difficult they were to work with.

I definitely feel your pain and hope that everything turns out for the best. You're doing the right thing by being very proactive and persistent with your Mom's care.

[MissMaryPoppins]

Indifferent is the perfect word to describe some doctors. That goes for a lot of medical professionals too. When my mother was having surgery at Celebration Health 2 years ago we encountered a lot of uncaring people that day, from the woman who registered her right down to the doctor doing the surgery. My father and I were ignored, lied to, and the surgeon couldn't even bother sticking around to answer our questions. After a disastrous hospitalization last summer, I wrote a letter of complaint to Florida Hospital where I went into everything that went on over the year. I got a phone call where someone told me I'd get a call back to go into detail. It's been a year and I haven't received the call. I've thought of re-sending it. I'm not a trouble maker and I don't like to complain but it's really not fair for patients and their families to be treated so poorly by people who are suppose to care and be trusted.

[TinkerbellT421]

Ian, you hit the nail on the head. Indifference. Going on week two, I left another message yesterday to have the doctor call me, I will not be satisfied till he talks to me. Tomorrow if I don't hear back I am calling and leaving another message, in which I will add a side note that if he doesn't return my call, that I am a) filing a complaint with the state and b) that I will show up at his office in which I will stay there until he speaks to me. I am not entirely convinced that his office staff is even passing him the messages, which would be entirely sad. But I am beyond ticked off at this point. Yes, we have an appointment with a neurologist, who that girl gave me more information about my moms condition than the pcp gave me, but I still have questions that I want answered! my blood is boiling at this point. But I still cannot step on any toes just yet, because I have seen and witnessed vindictive people in the medical field before, so until I am comfortable with switching to a new dr etc, I will kill them with kindness and annoyance at the same time. I will call ten times a day until I talk to him at this point, and he personally, will hear me.

[MissMaryPoppins]

Have you considered calling The office during off hours and telling the answering service you need to speak to him? My mother had to do this when she was having a problem and her PCP's office staf weren't giving him his messages. I know it sounds bad but when I was working for a surgeon there was a patient who called about 5 times on a day the doctor was in surgery all day. He had called for his messages, like he akways did, but had an emergency and didn't get to return calls as quickly as he normally did. So when the patient called as we were leaving for the weekend I recommended to her if she didn't get her call back in about an hour to try this. It can't hurt, the worse that can happen is you don't get a call back. If you try this and it doesn't work then I'd say call the PCP's office and make an appointment soon and go in with your mom and vent all of your concerns.

[TinkerbellT421]

Have you considered calling The office during off hours and telling the answering service you need to speak to him? My mother had to do this when she was having a problem and her PCP's office staf weren't giving him his messages. I know it sounds bad but when I was working for a surgeon there was a patient who called about 5 times on a day the doctor was in surgery all day. He had called for his messages, like he akways did, but had an emergency and didn't get to return calls as quickly as he normally did. So when the patient called as we were leaving for the weekend I recommended to her if she didn't get her call back in about an hour to try this. It can't hurt, the worse that can happen is you don't get a call back. If you try this and it doesn't work then I'd say call the PCP's office and make an appointment soon and go in with your mom and vent all of your concerns.

Yes, tried that, they don't call the doctor unless its an emergency. I might call tomorrow after off hours and demand they contact the doctor, don't know if it will work though. When I left a message with the answering service for the dr and specifically stated I did not want office staff to call me back....two hours later, the office girl called me back. I found his Facebook page.....he might be getting a message there soon....

[MissMaryPoppins]

Ohhh..a facebook page is eve better! I'm not ashamed to admit I fired off a mean e-mail to the dr treating my mom when she first go sick and failed to diagnose. I wasn't made that she couldn't diagnose her, I was that she couldn't admit she didn't know and wouldn't send my mom to someone else. I found her on Facebook a few months back when my mom was going through the worse of it and I just let loose. I told her she's incompetent and a total disgrace to her profession. Good thinking and I hope you finally get some answers! I also hope your mom is doing well and holding up.

[TinkerbellT421]

Ohhh..a facebook page is eve better! I'm not ashamed to admit I fired off a mean e-mail to the dr treating my mom when she first go sick and failed to diagnose. I wasn't made that she couldn't diagnose her, I was that she couldn't admit she didn't know and wouldn't send my mom to someone else. I found her on Facebook a few months back when my mom was going through the worse of it and I just let loose. I told her she's incompetent and a total disgrace to her profession. Good thinking and I hope you finally get some answers! I also hope your mom is doing well and holding up.

Well glad to know I'm not the only one that will go to fb if need be to ream out a dr! I was starting to think that maybe I would be crazy? lol but if I don't get a call back I will be even more furious and will do it. I hope he at least calls me, I really do not like being the crazy Italian side of me, but sometimes it's just a necessity. Thank you for the well wishes. Hope your mom is well now.

[MissMaryPoppins]

Haha! If someone deserves to be reamed I will find a way to do it! My mom is doing better, thank you! Please let me know how things work out for you and your Mom.

Joy

[Cinderelley]

I know I'm hopping in here a little late and hope your situation is already resolved, but the best thing to do would be to make an appt to go in and see the doctor now. Then he/she has time set aside just for you and your mother, and the office staff doesn't have to play go between.

I ran into a situation similar to yours several years ago with my doctor. Granted, I had been seeing that doctor for several years, and we had a great relationship prior to the issue. I began having problems with a certain office staff person. During my next visit, I mentioned it to him. He was very interested in what was going on, and the next time I called, that person no longer worked for the office. Until I said something, he had no idea what was happening.

[MNNHFLTX]

Sorry for the aggravation you've gone through (and still are, to a certain degree). What a tough situation. Being a nurse in the hospital setting, I have the advantage of seeing how an individual doctor works on a day-to-day basis and I can't tell you how often I have made a mental note never to go to certain ones! I do rely on my own experience and if in doubt will ask my regular doctor (who is wonderful) for a recommendation for a specialist.

As far as getting results in contacting a doctor, I would definitely make an appointment so that you can have a face-to-face discussion. Then tell them about your concerns and frustrations and have all your questions written down ahead of time so that you don't forget to ask them. Unfortunately, reporting them to the insurance typically will not result in any action being taken, although reporting them to the medical board might (as a last resort). I'm not sure about the FB thing, because they could just delete any comments that are made on their Wall.

I'm glad that you have found an advocate at the neurologist's office. Good luck with everything and I hope you get the answers you need. :)

[TinkerbellT421]

Thank you everyone for your advice. Unfortunately the soonest appt is the follow Up I have scheduled already for august, so he will be getting a ear full from me, not that I am sure it will do any good. I left a total of 7 messages over the course of two weeks to which there was never a return call. This Thursday is the neurologist appointment so I will go from there. Last time I called i got snotty with the office girl back when she said quote unquote "well tonya I don't know what to tell you, if he hasn't called then he's not going to" I said to her I'm sorry I didn't realize I was trying to contact the president or the pope, I simply thought I was trying to contact my mother PRIMARY care doctor. So needless to say I have a written rant on paper that I plan on bringing with me in August. He will not be happy when I have told him everything I want to tell him.

Thank you again for listening to my rant and your advice has certainly helped. I will be contacting her heart doctor next week to get her thoughts on the stenosis.

[MissMaryPoppins]

It will never fail to amaze me how careless some doctors and their staff can be. I'm so sorry you and your Mom have to deal with this, I know how hard it is.

[TinkerbellT421]

It will never fail to amaze me how careless some doctors and their staff can be. I'm so sorry you and your Mom have to deal with this, I know how hard it is.

Wait till you hear this one.

So here's an update on mom who had her neurologist appointment today.

First of I have to say I cannot rave about that doctors office enough! incredible doctors and impeccable staff. I am moved enough to send them a card actually. But first here's my emotional update.

So, after all the usual first visit paperwork and questions we got downto the bottom of everything. They called the imaging place that did my mothers ultra sound of her carotid, they received the results via fax in less than five. Inputs because apparently my mothers primary care office neglected to send over this information with her records (surprise surprise). So, come to find it is NOT a 50% stenosis like the primary care office nurse (see first rant) said it was, it is a 69% stenosis, so I am FURIOUS even more with primary care for the neglected information. Then they called the hospital that my mother was in for a few days when her blackout episode happened. They received her cat scan results via fax within five minutes while we waited and talked with him, because again apparently primary care didn't send that information over either!!!!!!! :mad: so, with that they found out, she has stroke scarring on a part of her brain that controls seizures, so come to find out according to the neurologists is she was having seizures not jus hypoglycemia black out spells. This is news to us as the hospital told us, oh the cat scan came out fine, ummm REALLY??????? I am beyond furious with doctors and hospitals at this point. Except this doctor. He really is phenomenal. Also, they stated her brain is shrinking which terrifies me to death because I know exactly what that means in the long run. But right now I just can't think about that. I am beyond stressed, beyond frustrated and just at the point of a nervous breakdown, honestly I am not sure how much I can handle right now with all of this. But enough of me crying. On the wait out, the doctor actually walked out to the receptionist desk with us. Oh, before I forget, I called moms primary care office while I was in the room with the neurologist left a nasty message with the girl when I found out all this information and beyond ****** off that they didn't tell us any of this, has not returned my half a dozen messages, beyond frustrated that they gave me false information. So back to when we were leaving, the girl at the desk was handed the papers from the dr who told her to set up an appointment for my mom to have an EEG done, and then he asked her to give us the dr's number about the stenosis. She looks at him and says why are you having them call him? he said well they have to make an appt, she said but why have them call? if you are asking them to see him it will be easier and faster if I just call them and refer them and make the appointment. You could have picked me jaw off the floor, I'm like wow a girl who actually loves her job and cares about patients?! I was in awe shock and hopeful that maybe not all is lost in the doctor world. This is the same woman that I became friends with when I had to call her and balled my eyes out. I think I have made a new friend. Well while this is taking place my cell rings, I look and it's my mothers primary care number, I am like omg is he actually calling me back?! I answer, nope sure enough it's the "nurse" in his office, she says "hi tonya, so I received a fax that your mom is at the neurologist and come to find out she's having seizures, has to see a doctor for the stenosis and has to have an EEG, that's great!" I stare at my phone speechless, did she just says "that's great"!?!? I'm sorry but I see nothing great about this right now. Speechless appalled and ******, she continues with saying " so it looks like she is all taken care of" well I lost it, my response was " yes she is no thanks to your office and dr." she was speechless! stuttering to me she can't get words out so I went off " let me tell you something, I am beyond frustrated and ****** off at your entire office and the doctor, and I am just getting started, this is the worst service I have ever expected to see from a doctor, I am appalled that he can call himself a doctor, he can't even return a simple phone call" she replies with "well ya know tonya, he's not a phone call person" in a sarcastic tone. That's it my blood has officially boiled over "excuse me?! news flash for the higher than thou so called doctor, phone calls is part of his job!!!! If he doesn't like his profession than I suggest he find a new one, I expect if not the best care for my mother at least repripitable, and he is far from neither!" I shout into the phone in the middle of this doctors office, all the while the girl at the desk is starring at me with this look on her face that just says I am so sorry for you, so when I got done and am breathing her only reply was, "well ya know tonya if you are not happy here then I suggest you find another doctor" I could have jumped through the phone! excuse me?! just like that?! that's your answer?! not even I am sorry I will talk to him?! I was like "excuse me?!" she says " well if you want to talk to him then make an appointment and then he will talk to you" I said "right, because you want the $200.00 for the appointment for a five minute conversation! so if he can call my boss, and tell him that I have to take two hours out of work to come and see a doctor that refuses to take a five minute phone call then yea I'll make your 'bleeping' appointment!" then I hung up on her. I can't even express in words how mad I was and am! So, I talked to the girl at neurology and she gave me the card of a primary care doctor in their building. I will contacting them soon. I will be keeping my mothers "follow up" with her current primary care doctor and when I go in i am requesting her patient file and I will be teeming out that doctor face to face, because I will give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe his office girls run interference for some reason, but in the end all of this is not except able at all, not even for a second.

With all of that said, I need pixie dust that moms tests come out okay and me to try and handle this stress to the best of my abilities. I have the worst stress migraine right now I am sick to my stomach. I feel helpless and not in control of what is going to be happening in the future and it is driving me insane.

[MissMaryPoppins]

Wow. That receptionist really should be fired and that doctor should find a new profession. It sounds like the neurologist your mom is seeing is caring and has a good staff, that makes things so much easier when you're going through a hard time.