Monday, March 2, 2009

Cracks in the Armor

(Feel free to skip this if you're tired of my rants, because this is yet another rant.)

Finn had an appointment this morning at the Speech and Hearing Center for a baseline hearing eval. I scheduled this appointment weeks ago, per our pediatrician.

Do you have any idea what it takes to get 6 kids up, fed, and dressed in the morning, get 4 of them to school on time, and then haul a baby and a 2-year old across town to a doctor's appointment? Do you have any idea of the stress it involves? Not that any of that is anyone's problem but mine: I made my bed, so I lie in it. And that's fine. I do the best I can, and most of the time I think I manage the situation pretty well. I only mention it to set the scene for this morning.

Now can you imagine how frustrating it is to go through all of that, fight traffic on the freeway en route to said appointment, arrive at the scheduled place and have to deal with a completely insane and inadequate parking situation, and then actually feel pretty good when you walk through the door of the office with your baby and 2-year old in tow only a few minutes late?

No imagine signing in (being honest about the fact that you were a few minutes late: "Appointment time - 9:45; Arrival time: 9:50), finding a seat and waiting, waiting, waiting, watching other people come in and be given paperwork to fill out and wondering why you haven't been given any paperwork to fill out. So you finally approach the front desk where young, snotty receptionist with overabundance of makeup dwells, and you say to her, "Am I supposed to fill out some paperwork?" Then she looks at you and says, "You were late." "Yes, I know," you say, "I was about 5 minutes late, and I noted that when I signed in." "No," Miss Bitchy-Too-Much-Makeup says, "I looked at the clock when you arrived, and you were more than 5 minutes late. We can't see you today."

What would you do in such a situation? Perhaps you would go apeshit like I did. "WHAT?!?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS???? I WAS FIVE MINUTES LATE AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ME NOW?????!!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT TOOK FOR ME TO GET HERE THIS MORNING?!?!?!? DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD YOUR PARKING IS OUT THERE?!?!?!? THAT'S WHY I WAS LATE!!!!! AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PENALIZE ME?!?!?!"

I probably don't need to mention that I stormed out of the office crying (that seems to be what I do under pressure these days - cry). I stormed back to the hell that is the parking garage, Lilah wailing the entire way because in leaving, I had to drag her away from the toys in the waiting room. I got in my truck and cried, cried cried. Then I called Michael and yelled and cried some more.

I am starting to really understand why people go postal. It's not the big things, it's the accumulation of little things. Someone loses their job, has their house foreclosed on, their wife leaves them, and they hold it together. But someone cuts them off in traffic and they lose it. That's how I'm feeling (don't worry, I'm not going to go gun shopping - I'm just saying). All the pressure and stress with Michael and Finn and all that, I can pretty much hold it together. But these rude people? Cancelling my appointment because I was a few minutes late? That I can't take. When I was sitting in my truck crying, I honestly just had that "I want to run away" feeling - like I just can't take one more freaking thing - not one.

So I came home and cleaned. That's my therapy. When things feel out of control, I clean. It makes me feel a little more in control. So now that the girls' room and playroom is all organized and tidied, I'm feeling a tad more together.

Meanwhile, Michael called the Speech and Hearing Center and spoke to the office manager about what happened. Not that it accomplished anything, and of course now I feel like a schmoe - siccing my (sick) husband on them. I'm sure they think I'm really pathetic now. Not that I care. But now I have to suck it up and call them myself to get Finn a new appointment.

Fuckfuckfuck. (Excuse the language.)

18 comments:

Megan said...

What a fucking bitch! I mean, if they weren't going to see you, at least say that when you signed in. Argh! {{hugs}}

Love,
Your East Coast out-of-control cleaner friend.

Carla said...

Ooooooohhhhhhhh nnnnnnnoooooo, now I'm all fired up! What the fuck?! Excuse my language, too. Now what would your recourse have been if THEY were late? None. Asses. And, by the way, exactly when was she going to tell you that your appointment was canceled? Was she just going to let you sit there forever? Argh! What did the office manager say in response to M's call? No effing way would I be the one to be calling back to make that appointment. That snot bag of a receptionist can call you, apologize, and offer an appointment time. Yes, I know I'm dreaming. Hugs.

Carla said...

And, girl, those aren't cracks in your armor, they're battle scars!

Tausha said...

WOW, I can't believe what happened. I would of been LIVID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is there another Doctor you can go see? I have worked for several Doctors and we never turned anyone away if they were late, NEVER!! They might of had to wait a bit longer but never would they of been turned away. Is there someone you can report them to? Is there a number we can all call and complain to the office manager? If they get tons of calls of complaint, maybe they will think twice!!! I am so sorry you had to endure that. I would of FREAKED OUT!!!!!!!!!!

Jen said...

Yeah, like the others have said, the worst part is that she just let you sit there! She wasn't going to tell you your appointment was canceled. Unbelievable. There's such a thing as basic human decency, and obviously, that girl has not one clue what it is. She'll get hers, don't worry. :)

And you're right; it only takes one tiny little thing to tip the scales to the crazy side. Great post title, too. You might have had a rotten morning, but you've still got your brains, your wit, and your compassion. Screw the rest of 'em!

The Sanchez Family said...

Totally unbelievable! I would have ABSOLUTELY lost it. Yes, that office manager needs to call you back and offer you whatever appt works the best for you asap. It is totally unacceptable how they treated you.

Unknown said...

OMG- Lisa I had this very thing happen to me about 10 years ago when I was going on a trip and needed vaccines and I was about 10 minutes late to a place that I kid you not NEVER saw me within 1 hour of my appt time so who'd have thought 10 minutes would make any difference? - and the reception area was EMPTY when I came in and there was a good hour til office was to close and they turned me away for being late - not a "you'll have to wait til we can squeeze you in since you were late" but "sorry can't see you." I did go ballistic and the NP I came to see came out and told me I had to leave and should apologize to the receptionist for speaking to her rudely- AHHHH! I was LIVID and I did not have to go through what you went through to get there so I cannot imagine how much more frustrating it was for you! I actually did write a letter to the head doctor of the practice complaining and cc'd the AMA, the CMA and the insurance company so it would be in whatever records it could be - it made me feel a little better that maybe they'd get dinged down the road...Good luck next time around and hopefully you can get a 10 am appt to give you clear time to get there after kids are off to school in the a.m. HUGS! Lisa

Cheryl said...

OMG!Lisa,I would have been screaming my head off.I would have cried too.I can't believe she didn't tell you and waited for you to get up and come to the window!OMG!Give us the phone # I know how hard it is to get anything done with several kids to care for,I'm furious you had to go through that!

Adrienne said...

Ahh- the wonderful gate keeper. I used to do pharma sales and deal with these women all the time. Absolutely ridiculous! I totally would have done the same thing- stormed out and cried and then cleaned too!! Sorry you had to go through all that- you have a lot on your plate and it's unfortunate that the women had to be so bitchy to you when all she was probably upset about was she didn't get a doughnut that a drug rep brought in!:)

JaybirdNWA said...

That sounds totally bazaar! I have never heard of such. I am usually pretty civil but I think that would have made me climb over that counter after somebody. I dont't think I would have left there without being seen or talking with the clinic manager. Like I always say to my wife, your front-office staff can make you or break you and it really doesn't matter whether you are a good doc or not. People don't like and shouldn't be treated rudely.

Nicole O'Dell said...

Was this the same place that gave you such a hard time when you were just trying to schedule the appointment? Wow. So sorry that happened!

Brandie said...

Thats just MEAN, to let you sit there like that. OMG! I wouldn't have made it out of the office w/o breaking down.

Tricia said...

Oh girl! I Would have been irate too! TO just let you sit there like that!!!! Oh wow that makes me mad! I swear, the worst--WORST WORST WORST--part of doctor's offices is almost ALWAYS the door bitch.

Elyse said...

What a witch! Seriously...what nerve does she have!
~Elyse~

Anonymous said...

That bitch. What's her number... ;>)
She's lucky that wasn't my appointment.

Anonymous said...

Well sounds like we have a war on our hands,lol! The nerve of them is all I say- are they always on time? I've gone to appointments with my child, taken out of school, missing lunch while we wait,wait, wait... and told them that if I didn't see someone in 5 minutes I'd be leaving!Hmmph! Sorry you had to go thru that Lisa!

SunflowerStories said...

What a load of crap! I might of said, "Are you kidding me? I have a baby with Down syndrome! He needs this test now! I have enough on my plate without your crap too!" 5 mins is NOTHING! Especially when you KNOW they make you wait atleast 20 mins first.

Anonymous said...

And after Audrey gets thru bitch talking with the door bitch, and then her boss, I'll follow up with a double dose of my own. What's the Creep's office #?

Joe