How does a working professional do this? I just cant keep going in for ultrasounds every other day - This takes up SOOOOOO much darn time. People have noticed that I am frequently late to work, and if my infertility doc is late . . . well then so am I. I am too type A to be satisfied with being late, and there is nothing else like dealing with irate patients when I run late myself. (although I swear I have the nicest patients ever.)
So today, I got held up by traffic by about 5 minutes. Unfortunately that was late enough to put me 4th in line to be seen. At 0740 (for a 7 am appointment) they finally pulled in patient 2 and 3 (and there are only 2 rooms) - so it was going to be a while. Problem is, my first patient would be there at 8 am . . . and my clinic is 25 minutes away from the infertility clinic.
So I got up and left. I felt terrible, I even cried to the parking guy on the way out because I wasn't validated even though I had copayed. I am a bad bad bad patient, but hopefully it is offset by the fact that I was only 5 minutes late for my patient and maybe a good doctor. No reason I need to perpetuate the frustration with my patient experience to my patients. But still - it was stressful, frustrating and took about an hour an a half out of my day - and I got NOTHING out of it. And while I will be going in tomorrow for redemption as a patient, its still going to carve another hour or two out of my day. When you work about 10 hr a day - an extra two pretty much knocks out the ability to do anything outside of work and sonos.
I don't know how everyone does it, and seriously I feel so bad for everyone else in that waiting room because I know they are all going through it as well, but they probably don't feel empowered enough to just get up and walk out and reschedule. (Of course I got a BIG freakout talking-to from my RE because she is worried I may be overstimming, but I do have the knowledge to at least defend myself a little).
Alls well that ends well . . . although we will see if it actually ends well tomorrow :)
How frustrating. I also hate being late, but I don't really have people depending on me like you do. It must have been super maddening. Good for you for standing up for yourself. I bet you're a great doctor.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think my biggest cause of stress with IF is about scheduling. I HATE it. And, it takes me 90 minutes to get to my doctor's office, so it is at least a 3 hour round trip when I go and will always screw up my life. I'm a professor so I can't just not show up to class! I don't know what I'm going to do for the next few cycles.
ReplyDeleteLove it!! I wonder how much time I have spent waiting for this appointment and that appointment over the last four years...actually I shudder to think about it!! Good for you.
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