Grrrrr.....

I am not happy with my lupus Doc. Four months ago I blogged about her. And...after 4 months, there is still no love. You know when people write the "I heart XXX"? Well, this chick (ie: me) is definitely not going to write that anytime soon with Dr. J. And I love the basketball player Dr. J, so maybe I won't refer to her as that. But for tonight, I will.

Today was my 4 month checkup with "her". I had a few questions to ask her and I brought them on a sticky note with me. So I get to her office, and of course, like I always do, I wait. Why in the hell is it so slow in this office? I know, I should be patient, but man, they move as slow as molasses. And...the receptionist is a bitch. It's like I have to bend over the table just to have her smile and acknowledge me. But she is sure quick to take my $35 dolla co-pay. So I sit, and then finally I get called back. I have to get my weight and blood pressure taken. One thing I do "heart" is Dr. J's scale. I am always 3 pounds lighter there. Gotta love that. Blood pressure was fine, and then off to my personal waiting room. 10 minutes later, here she comes with her grand entrance. She has her handy dandy little laptop that she brings in and immediately her nose is in that f-in laptop. What the hell ever happened to bedside manner? And it's always the same questions from her: "How are you feeling?" "Anything abnormal?" "How's the plaquinil treating you?" Next time (well, after this blog, I don't think there will be a next time)- but if there was, I think I would bring my laptop in and just hand it to her with my frickin answers to her lame ass questions. But this time, I came to stump her. "I have a few questions for you", I say. "Let's hear them!", she immediately says. It's like she was saying "whew, I don't have to do my dog and pony show with this chick- make her work." Whore. So I start with my first question: "My toes on my left foot go numb. Is this normal?" "Well," she says, "not normally." Again a reference from last night, "no shit sherlock- that's why I am asking you the frickin question." I never got a good response from her. Next question: "My eyes have become really dry with my contacts- is this normal with lupus patients? This is my first fall/winter with lupus." "Well (and say that in a winey mode and you have nailed her voice) that could be a symptom of you taking plaquinil." So I am now a smart ass because I am getting frustrated- "so is that a yes or a no from you?" Her reply: "Well...(winey again) I would say to go purchase some artificial tears." Wow- you are a really smart doctor. Next question: "My primary doc told me that with having a chronic disease that I should consider getting a pneumonia shot. Is this something I should get?" Her response: "Yes, I think that would be a good idea." Wow- such a great response. I feel so much better (not). So my last question is more a follow up: "My opthamologist took my base line lupus eye test two weeks ago and sent the results to you. Did you get the results?" Her response: "Um, did he mail them or fax the results to me?" "I don't know", I say. Her comeback (and I almost came off the chair and scratched her little eye balls out of her head): "Well, if he mailed the results, I probably haven't got to that yet. I have a really bad habit of not reading my mail." OMG! Are you flippin kidding me? What if I had life and death results on her desk? She would just get to it when she had the chance? I am SO PISSED off that when she is done, I get up to leave and she says, "oh wait..you need to get your bloodwork." Shit. Oh yeah. Time to go pee and get my bloodwork taken. So I do this and I am outta there as quick as you can say "kiss my ass Dr. J". But I didn't get a chance to do that.

But my afternoon got even better. I got the run around from my pharmacy because they want 50 bucks for my pneumonia shot when my insurance said it was covered. Ahhhhh! Plus, they say that Dr. J has to call this shot in as a prescription. Really? Seriously? So guess what I have to do? I get to call back my favorite Doctor in the whole wide world. And of course it's 5:15, so I am expecting to get their answering machine. So I call and who picks up the phone? No, not Miss Cheery at the front desk, but Dr. J herself! So I say, "Hi...it's Me...(jibber jabber) and I am calling because the pharmacy won't give me the pneumonia shot that you instructed me to get without a prescription from you. Pause. Her response: "I'm sorry.. is this an emergency?" WHAT? Did you listen to anything that I just said? She continues: "You know this is after hours... (in my head: um...I know you stupid bitch- but why the hell are you answering the God Damn phone?) so can you call back in the morning and speak to my receptionist?" That did it. I couldn't bite my lip anymore- "Sure I will, but next time, don't answer your phone after 5:00 if you don't want to talk to someone." That's it. I'm getting my prescription for my stupid shot tomorrow and then it's over. The breakup is here. Good-bye Dr. J. I am tired of being treated like crap. Just because you specialize in rheumatoid arthritis doesn't mean you treat me like dog shit because I have lupus. I am also going to contact the Georgia Chapter for Lupus and tell them about my experience and have them help me find a doctor that loves me. That's all I ask. Just a little love- not smothering love, just some PDA. LOL. Sorry for the rant. You know this isn't the last of this blog topic.