I was away for business last couple of weeks. I wound up with an excrutiating sore throat and a swollen gland on the right side of my neck. I was exhausted, glassy-eyed, nauseus. I had to stay for meetings but the day I got home, I headed straight to the doctor. My regular doctor wasn't in, so I had to see one of his colleagues.
Let me explain--I was really sick. I mean, I could barely move. So, while I'm there at 11:30 in the morning, the nurse's aid pitches a fit that she'd been there since 8:30 a.m. and didn't feel like seeing anyone else. She's tired and annoyed. Whatever. The doctor comes in and doesn't take my blood pressure, my temperature or my pulse. Asks me what's wrong, looks at my throat and says "Yup, you've got tonsilitis". I said, Okay, well, I also was hoping to get some bloodwork. "No, not until you're better". She said. The real reason: the nurse's aid refused to draw anyone else's blood and threatened to hurt people if she was forced to. I had been quite sick the past couple of months on and off, and I was like, "Wow, I just can't catch a break." And that rude doctor turned to me and goes, "Well, given what you had gone through last year, I'd say you're doing quite well, so I don't know why you're complaining." I stood in shock and then the doctor just shooed me away, gave me a prescription and a curt "Take whatever you want" when I asked if I could take Tylenol for the pain.
How is this acceptable? I'm truly amazed. I really had no words. This doctor didn't want to be there and it showed. I mean to the point of potential malpractice. I am seriously just confused. I would love to show up at my job at around 11:30 declare, ya know, I'm just not feeling it right now. I mean, I potentially could, I work in training so it's not like anyone's going to DIE if I did that, but there's this thing called responsibility that stops me and no one's life is in my hands. Geez. Scary isn't it.
5 comments:
Words fail me at the insensitivity. Sure, you are better off now, but what about the Hippocratic oath? To give comfort and succour and all that? God help all the other patients of this person. I'm just angry that, with just a curt statement, that person has just demeaned you, your condition, and your worth as a person...showing us how little he's worth himself.
May you have better days ahead. You deserve them ^_^
I randomly ran across your blog and it struck me. My best friend from high school died from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma a couple of years ago after a seven year fight. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him.
I have a blog about magic and magicians. I hope you don't mind - I put up a link to your blog. If you want me to remove it email me and I will (katterfelto@sbcglobal.net). I just thought your writing was really poignant and your plight was a reminder to me to not sweat the small stuff (I'll forget that lesson tomorrow).
As far as this particular post goes - report this doctor and nurse to your regular doctor. That behavior was unconscionable. My philosophy is these folks (doctors and such) work for me, and I can fire them - and I have. The days of "doctor as God" are long gone, and may they stay that way.
Anyway, best to you from a stranger who appreciates your writing and your struggle.
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to write to me. Your words are awesome--I love seeing that "no reply" thing in my inbox. And please feel free to link; I'm going to try the same because I haven't really experienced all that much about blogspot, so I'm not sure of all the features. But I wanted everyone who reads this to know I appreciate your thoughts and I'm sure that just saying thank you isn't enough
If you need Techie help creating links to other blogs let me know.
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