The Dreaded Phone Calls

My day so far has consisted of over THREE HOURS in phone calls.  (Damn you Christopher Columbus, damn you!)
After receiving radiology reports saying that my CT Scan done back in May never could be read because the metal implants in my spine caused interference I was a bit dumbfounded.  So how could the orthopedist say my spine was properly fused if the CT Scan couldn't be read?  So I called the orthopedist who had been paid to read this back in May.  NOW he claims that he never did read the films and his office had the audacity to try to blame me. The claimed that I had taken my radiology films back from them before he had a chance to read them.  Ahem, bullshit! They called me and told me he had read them and that they were ready to be picked up, but at the time it was over a week after that before I could even get a ride back there to retrieve them.  Lies, lies, lies.  When I asked 'what the hell was he being paid for' and 'why did his office claim he had read them back in May?'  I was told they didn't know but that I must not have my facts straight.  Grrrr.....
What makes this even worse is that the recommendations by the radiologist for a myelogram were ignored by my PCP and the orthopedist. 
Now I had to call the Pain Clinic and deal with The Dreaded Scheduling Secretaries.   She tried to say that I could not make the follow-up appointment with Doctor Pain because I would have to wait for Doctor Pain to read the referral sent up to that office, from Doctor Pain!  You see the doctor I am seeing is the same doctor, just a different office location.  I finally convinced her that he did not need to read his own referral.  Can anyone say  ignorant, unsympathetic, nasty, evil witch?  Once I finally had an appointment scheduled I asked if I could leave a brief 'heads up' message for the doctor.  He had wanted me to investigate the radiology reports to find out if there was evidence of a proper spinal fusion (his job I thought, but if you want to get something done we crips must do it ourselves!) and I wanted to let him know that no there was no evidence of a proper fusion.  The Dreaded Scheduling Secretary said "No, you can't" and hung up!  I tried calling his other office location only to have a recorded voice tell me they are 'closed on Tuesdays'.
Now on to my insurance company.  Lots to deal with there including a circular conversation about determining if I'm disabled (otherwise I lose all health benefits this week).  The problem is that they base this on Social Security Disabilities determination and I've been waiting for two years for that!  After much stressful conversation they agreed to give me a temporary waver to cover my upcoming appointments. 
Which segways nicely into my next phone call.  I called a new doctor that I've been scheduled to start seeing in November.  We set this up back in August (waiting list) and they requested a copy of my medical records from my existing PCP back then.  Well I've been harrassing my PCP's medical records department to send the damn records as requested, but my record is so big and my doctor is such an idiot, they don't want to copy it.  I've even talked to the head of the record's department who assured me it would be done, but when I went to see the doctor last week my records still had not been sent.  When I called my new doctor's office they said that they still have not received any records.  And they can't understand why I would want to change doctors!

Comments

[Gimpy Mumpy]

Damn! Don't these docs realize this is our lives we're talking about?! Keep on harassing them, that's what I do :)

[W1ld child]

I went to the hospital a year last January after having a CT scan, I was told that there were some white spots on my brain. The doc also told me that it's unlikely, due to my disability but it's possible it could be MS. They could do a lumber puncture to assertain this but due to what I already have he's not sure if it's safe so will have to check, anyway as I said this is 21 months ago, and I'm still to hear anything. My initial reason for going was a referral to the neurologist by my GP as I was having a lot of balance problems, lack of feeling in my legs that sort of thing, this hasn't improved in anyway in fact it has gotten worse. I'm also experienceing an increase in the lack of feeling in my hands, and fingers, as well "the shakes". Fun!

[Gimpy Mumpy]

Oh yah, CWD!
Mumpy is raging **Mega Red** on the Crip Mood Alert System today!

[The Angry Gimp]

My God, that is absolutely dreadful. Those idiots. And that secretary...WTF!? I don't know what to say other than I am sorry for what you have to go through. I have had similar experiences and know how frustrating and rage-provoking it is dealing with people like this. Hang in there. CWD Forevah!