Thursday, November 18, 2010

Yellow Page System

Do you get tired of Doctors Offices and waiting.  I know I do. I had a little problem the other day and made a same day appointment and left Far Guy and Chance in the dust. No sense having them wait, when I am perfectly capable of waiting by myself.

I had to register first and practically tell them when the last time I went to the bathroom was..in my case I felt like I had to go all the time. Then I had to answer the same questions..no I have not moved, no my phone number has not changed..yada yada yada.  I needed a lab done before my appointment.  They handed me a yellow sheet of paper and said “Here, these are the medicines you take, make changes if there are any.”   Then I have to tell everyone what my name is and when I was born. Like someone is going to impersonate me. 

I was curious about the yellow page of paper..yup everything was correct..an aspirin, a multi vitamin , my blood pressure pill and a potassium pill because I cannot eat enough bananas to keep me alive.

After my test I sat and waited and waited.  I started to notice that other people had these large yellow pages also, it was like a big ticket. Welcome to the world of Pharmaceuticals…a pill for everything…and sometimes pills because you take pills.  The handsome guy sitting two chairs down from me laid his on the end table, he was young maybe 25, his yellow page was almost empty.  The elderly gentleman scooting around in one of those fancy red metallic flake scooters with the bag on the back that said “West Palm” who also had an accident on his grey pants ( reminder to self..carry a lap robe with you if you have room on the fancy scooter) was a two pager..two full yellow pages.  Then he began to cough..poor guy..I imagined the wet spot on his pants  growing larger as he nearly coughed his guts out and his silver haired tiny little wife searched her pockets for a Kleenex. Then he began to search his own pockets for Kleenexes..I bet if he found any they would have been soggy anyway.  I reached over and grabbed a box of Kleenex and took it over to the poor guy.  Two pages..I wonder what the maximum amount of pages is..Three..Four..I wonder when you are near death perhaps your number isn’t really up..but perhaps your pages are all full. 

I waited what seemed like forever, but since I don’t wear a watch and the Clinic has no clocks around, I have no idea if the twenty minutes that I am supposed to wait patiently before complaining has passed or not. Far Guy doesn’t like me to complain, but he is at home..so he will never know. I wait patiently, I can show restraint sometimes.   I have not touched anything other than that Kleenex box..I feel the germs swirling around me.  Finally the PA pokes his head around the corner and smiles and points at me..he doesn’t have a nurse..but he knows me ( he did not ask me to spell my name or for my birthdate)..and he is retiring next month..rats. We had a great visit..I have five days of meds for my bladder “irritation”  and have a recheck next week..at which time I bet one more med is added to my yellow page.

Yesterday when Far Guy visited his Neurologist far far away, we arrived thirty minutes before our appointed time and saw two other couples that we knew.  I barely got comfortable in my chair and began to people watch when Far Guys name was called.  The Neurologist increased one of Far Guys meds again. Nothing is new in the treatment of Far Guys Atypical type of Trigeminal Neuralgia.  Far Guy was discouraged..he wants to take less medications..not more. I bet he is a full one pager or maybe even a two pager, but that Clinic apparently doesn’t care for the yellow page system:)

18 comments:

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I know!!!! I filled out my MIL's pages when I took her for a MRI to the big city the other day and the things they asked...well, I just had to laugh!!!

My page is void of any prescription drugs but I hit the natural supplements pretty dang hard.

You take care and have a great day...no waitin' or yellow pages hopefully!!! :o)

ari_1965 said...

My clinic has white printouts for meds, and the LPN reads out your list to you so can yes/no to each med. I once was left alone in the room briefly, read my meds list all by myself, and told her when she got back in the room that nothing meds-wise had changed. She looked doubtful and then read the sheet out loud to me, anyway.

Lynda said...

You hit the nail on the head for many doctors' offices. A few years ago, we changed eye doctors because our "old" ones thought it was fine to have us there up to three hours. Our current doctor left that group for the same reason. Now we are in and out of that office in a timely fashion - - - and they are all fun to visit - - from the front desk on to the back chair. Now I can't say that about every office I visit. The last time I went to the orthopedic specialist, they scheduled a bunch of us to be there before 12 but did not see any one of us before 1:15!!!! That's just rude! They are some of the best in their field in Chattanooga so we cope with it. My med page is light at this time but does have one that is daily now. However, I do have a few that are "as needed".
As always, I enjoyed your style of entertaining us with regular life.

Lanny said...

What a day at the docs! Glad you know and like your PA sorry he is retiring, have you tried talking him out of it?

Yellow pages, I only get one if I get a med. Most of mine so far are temporary 'cept my prn inhaler and migraine pills, 'cuz I dumped the neurosis causing pill for my neuropathy, decided the pain wasn't nearly as bad as the bizarre and dangerous thoughts keeping me up and walking around at night! Now if only they knew about my self prescribe supplements. When I am being mindful of them I could easily fill a page I suppose, I certainly fill the palm of my hand four times a day. Some are repeats during the day some are single doses, all seem to do great things for me when I am good and take them. I was going to say remember, but like remembering the dollar I borrowed I usually remember when I am not in a postition to take them. You know, everyone's gonna tell you all about cranberry juice today!

Becca's Dirt said...

Hope you are well. It's a bummer to be sick. I hate the increase in meds too. It seems that the older we get they keep adding more drugs to keep us alive even if the old ones are working. I need to add the vitamin regimen back into my daily stuff. Hope you are having a blessed day.

Nancy said...

No yellow pages at my doctor's office, but I print my list of medications and contact information on an index card which eliminates any lapses in my memory during my appointment. The file is on my computer where I can quickly make changes. Doctors and nurses appreciate the card and the legible list of medications and doses, and I am glad that I don't have to remember them.

Country Gal said...

Hope you get better soon ! Over here we have a family Dr we go to usually he will fit ya in if its a emergancy but the clinic we go to if we have to is at the hospital and is run by our DRS staff, our health card they put in the computer hooks up to our name and meds in the system so they know whats what and whos who ! Have a great day ! Get well soon !

Patsy said...

I can't stop laughing, you made my day a better one.

Linda said...

I hate filling out forms of ANY kind. I think you're far more patient than me, my hubby won't even go with me because of my "tude.

DayPhoto said...

I am so NOT a good patient. You sound like a saint!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

lisa said...

Nothing is worse than waiting, that is why I always have a book with me! But our doctors office is pretty good about not making you wait any longer than fifteen minutes and most of the time we are in within five!

Gail said...

I really do not like to wait, wonder if we could bill the doctors for our time?

Anonymous said...

Sorry you have been sick and I'm sorry about Far Guy's meds too. I know how sick and tired we get of drs. and tests and waiting. John is on the way to Atlanta for his 20 hour test tonight. Cooped up in one boring room with a lousy mattress with wires on every part of his body. I've promised him a good supper tomorrow when I pick him up.
I hope you two feel better and I am praying that you all have a blessed Thanksgiving Connie.

RURAL said...

Meds and waiting, can't be two of life's best things can they?

Sorry about the increase, maybe ....one day.

As for waiting in Dr's offices, I think that I have spent a few tooo many hours lately. But on the flip side, I am getting to know the regulars, LOL.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Roxane B. Salonen said...

Fun stuff, those doc offices. I try to bring lots of reading material to make myself feel like I'm actually being productive. The yellow forms sounds like a nightmare. I don't like forms. :)

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear you and Far Guy are under the weather, but at least you're not zooming around on a moped thingy with soggy pants!

Andrea said...

Thankfully my "yellow page" is rather short. Your reflections on how it is a measure of the life left in you are probably right on target...I remember some patients (as a nurse) who seemed to be on everything possible! Hope you feel better soon.

bob snodgrass said...

NH Guy relates to Far Guy and the good people's comments.

It is so important that we have a trusting relationship with our 'specialist friends'!

Although NH Guy gets particularly annoyed at all the signs around the office(s) and the 1st non-Yellow Page, asking 'Do you have insurance?'

Good stuff! Thanks, bob