The Non-Appointment

I wish I could say that my appointment today went as well as Trish's. Sadly, I had about the opposite experience. I would like to start off, though, by saying that my doctor is great! He is a good listener, he's aggressive enough when it's necessary, and he genuinely cares about how my husband and I are doing during this struggle. Unfortunately, my doc wasn't there today. Instead, I had to put up with his completely incompetent staff. I have had several issues in the past with them not reading my chart or reading it incorrectly in the past. Today was no different.

I was at the doctor's office for 2.5 hours and I never saw a doctor. First the front clerk asked if I still lived at the address from 6 months ago. I gave them my new address six months ago, which was on the paper she lifted up to look at the paper with my old address... Once I told her I gave them my updated info 6 moths ago she looked at the paper in her hand and said, "Oh, never mind, I see it now." Yeah. I have no words.

Then, after waiting for an hour, a nurse brought me to the back and had me pee in a cup. Then I waited in the mini waiting room in the back. After another hour the same nurse brought me to the lab tech to have a complete OB set of blood work taken. I was still fairly calm at this point because I knew they were still trying to catch up from having to evacuate yesterday. However, I did start to get annoyed when I asked when my lab results would be ready and the nurse walking by told me Friday morning. I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous! I explained to the lab tech that I have a history of m/c. She told me that the results will actually come up on the printer at the office in the morning so she suggested I call and ask them to check tomorrow. That is exactly what I plan to do! Ater my labs they led me back to the waiting room rather than an exam room. Uuggh!

The last straw came 5 minutes later when the tech to the sonogram came to give me a sonogram. Um, hello! I'm only peak +17! You can't see anything yet! I didn't want to pay for something that wasn't going to give us any info. I explained that to the tech and the nurse (the same one that has been working with me the entire time). The nurse apologised and said that she mis-read my chart and thought I was there for my pregnancy from September. Again, I say, WHAT?!?!?!? Do I look like I am 6 months pregnant?? And, if that wasn't a big enough clue, what about the fact that 2 hours ago she is the one who gave me the cup to pee in to confirm my pregnancy!!!!! Doesn't anyone in this office know how to read a chart?? Uuggh!

At this point I was late for work. My doc wasn't there anyway and I didn't really want to ask the fill-in doc most of my questions because he doesn't know my history. Why should I pay for a consultation that won't give me any info? I just asked to re-schedule to see my doc on Friday when I had to come in for more labs anyway... I went to the front desk to schedule for Friday and she said that my doc wasn't going to be in on Friday. I just lost it.

I don't think these people understand what it's like to be scared out of your mind that a new pg is going to go kaput at any moment. When I started crying at the front desk the scheduler brought me to the office of the Office Manager to talk. I gave her a brief history of my infertility and my experience with the office workers and some of the nurses. She thanked me for telling her my honest experience and assured me that she is working on improving the situation. She scheduled me for follow up lab work on Friday and a consultation appt on Tuesday morning with my doc (the first available appt). I will follow up on my lab results tomorrow morning.

I still have a lot of questions that I'm very nervous about. If my progesterone numbers are low I will just go in tomorrow and see whatever doc is available. I have been worried that the prometrium isn't as affective as it needs to be and I might need to switch to shots. I don't want to m/c just because my doc was out of town and the office help couldn't get their act together!

When I left the doc's office I was so frustrated and scared I cried all the way home. I tried to keep myself calm enough not to burst into body shaking sobs. I know stress is not good for the baby. It's hard though. I am scared to death. It doesn't help that I am having some weird pinching cramps tonight on my L side. They are different than the feeling I'd been having up 'til today.

I don't know if all this stuff is happening to force me to trust God, or if it's all just a cruel series of coincidences. I wish I could get some reassurance somewhere though. I guess for now, the saga continues...