6.17.2008

When In Doubt, Bring Reading Material

When will I ever learn? No matter how many times I go to the doctor for any scheduled appointment, I always have to wait. Always. Usually I receive a phone call from the doctors office the day before the appointment to confirm AND to remind me to be on time. Which again, I am. Always.

Yesterday I went for my 9:15 am pre-op appointment which was only supposed to be 5 minutes. Why I needed to go back to the doctors office to hear about the procedure that he just detailed five days prior, to pick up a prescription that I didn't even need to begin taking until one day after the procedure, and to get directions to the surgery center from them (even though the hospital has called me no less than 4 times to go over everything) is BEYOND me. I just follow directions like a good little patient.

I arrived at my appointment at 9:12 am. Perfect. I'm there, I'm early, I should get in and out quickly. I found a magazine and parked my tush in an over sized chair, only to get through the first 30 pages of ads, before they called my name. I jumped up, obviously excited that I was moving behind the infamous iron door where they only want to see you when they're ready for you, and did the quick "do I bring the magazine?" routine in my head. I decided to put it down thinking nnaaaaahh... they're ready for me. Off we go.

The nurse brings me back to an examination room where she takes my blood pressure, points to the prescriptions I'll need to fill, tells me the doctor will be right in, and leaves the door open. Fantastic. Almost. Five minutes waiting turn into ten ... ten turn into twenty... and twenty turn into forty ... all with NOTHING to read. I - am - so - bored. I've gone cross-eyed staring at the two pieces of art on the walls, looked out the window as long as I could, and have resorted to rummaging through the drawers for latex gloves, tongue depressors, syringes, and KY Jelly.

At 9:55 am (40 minutes after my scheduled appointment) the doctor came in. He spent five minutes with me... okay, I'm exaggerating, it was four minutes. But he did have to draw me a picture of where I should park my car at the hospital, so that should count for something, right? He sent me off with a few prescriptions and reading material for the procedure... which would have served a better purpose if they left it in the room when they had me waiting forever and a day.

In the end, I learned a valuable lesson. I need to bring reading material with me next time. Or just schedule my appointment for earlier in the morning. I want first dibs on pilfering... all the good stuff was already taken out of the exam rooms.

12 comments:

Simple Answer said...

I can't even tell you how often I want to pilfer drawers out of boredom. Did you tell him you are on vacation and a little respect is warranted?

Totally aside, did you redo the top of your page? I like it.

Mom24 said...

Ugg! Aggrevating. I love the line in Juna about doctors: "Doctors are sadists who like to think of themselves of God and laugh at the lesser people."

I'm always tempted to pilfer and too afraid of hidden cameras. Yes, I am a wimp. I also wonder why all the magazines in the examining rooms are the same (free) ones from when I was last pregnant...SIX years ago.

Take lots of drugs after...and lay around a be useless. Who knows when you'll get this chance again!

Mom24 said...

PS I love the header update too. One of these days I'm going to learn how to customize mine.

mary s. said...

What you've described is my nightmare. And what's so bad about it is that you never really know when the doctor is going to walk in, so you can't go too crazy in the drawers and cabinets.

Usually, what happens to me is that I'm stuck in a room with a computer. It's literally ALL I HAVE IN ME not to shake the mouse and try to wake it up to see if I can somehow access the internet while I'm waiting.

I probably need a Blackberry!

Diane Mandy said...

Isn't this the way it always is?? i thought here in Germany, where punctuality is the rule, it would be different--NOT!! Only difference is the reading material is all in German. Boo!

Don Mills Diva said...

These days I try and see times when I know I have to wait as opporunities to catch up on my reading - I get SO mad at myself if I forget my book though...

Cynthia said...

I try to be the first one there...Then at least I have a shot at not having to wait forever for the actual appointment!

Unknown said...

Just need to get a good book... I could sit all afternoon waiting if there is something I want to read... : )

karey m. said...

all you really need is a permanent marker. just think of the crafts you could make from the blow-up latex gloves, tongue depressors...just add eyes and sell them on etsy.

and do i even need to tell you how much those used needles go for? do you not know ANY heroin addicts, jill?!

you could've paid for your upcoming procedure and still had money left over for starbucks.

talk about a complete waste of time...

{good luck!}

Kim said...

I ALWAYS take something with me to the doctors.. they never ever see you on the time you scheduled the appt.. And the kids doctors are even worse.. drives me crazy!!!

JIC :)

Unknown said...

I cannot stand idle time like that. I think I'd have made a BIG production of walking into the hallway and asking anybody walking by "excuse me, could you grab me a magazine? the dr seems to be running late and I've used up all the KY jelly....."

Cecily R said...

It never fails with me. When I bring it, I don't need it. When I don't I wait three years.

Hope everything goes smoothly with your procedure!!!

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