Give a girl a break

WARNING: Complete whining and complaining post ahead. Read with caution.

You know, I figure myself for a pretty easy patient. I don't ask for much. I may come down with some illness that requires one office visit a year. So, when I have something truly ailing me, I expect some service, with a smile, and above all else honesty. I have not received much of that over the past week and a half. I know there are worse things in the world, more time-deserving issues, life-threatening illness, but certainly during the course of 12 days some solution could be found.

Now to preface this blog before I go any further, I am a fairly new patient at HPFP. I had been relying on my OBGYN for most ailments until I couldn't justify it any longer. Jay had the ole snipper-roo done, so who am I kidding here. I threw myself at the mercy of an urgent care place for a few minor issues. I am sure I will step on toes when I suggest it is the work solution for sub-standard doctors who received their degrees from institutions I have never heard of. Not to mention the last doc I saw at this place "fixed" my bra strap for me as he checked my breathing - ewwww! Anyway, to start my relationship off correctly with HPFP I had a complete physical about a month ago. Everything came out perfect.

A few weeks later I began to experience shooting pain from my right rear cheek (the one located in the lower half of my body) down the back of my thigh that was seriously accentuated when sitting or driving. Naturally, I called my new doctor and was ushered in the next afternoon, not that day. I arrived at the practice and was greeted by a part-time doctor wearing flip flops and capri's (professional?). I was given a muscle relaxer and a pain killer of mild form and told to take it easy over the weekend. I was given a follow-up appointment in a week. Over the weekend things went down hill. More numbness, pain more consistently, so I called on Monday and was seen by my normal doctor. She giggled as she tried to code the office visit, because according to her, there was no code for "butt pain." I was not amused. I stated that I thought it might be consistent with sciatic nerve or related to disc issues. She seemed enlightened by this bit of self-diagnosis and coded it as such. She even knew about my previous bulging disc, commenting that I was too young to have had that. She scheduled a pelvic x-ray, gave me hydrocodone and I left. She also mentioned she totally didn't expect the x-ray to show anything. When it didn't show anything, she would schedule an MRI. The x-ray didn't show anything and I had to call them to ask about the MRI. That was on Tuesday. Above all else, there is absolutely no difference in my pain level when I am taking the medication prescribed and when I am not.

Throughout the week my abilities have been severely limited. I am in absolute agony driving after about 5 minutes, making my shuttling the kids a nightmare. I cannot stoop to pick anything up unless I kneel on my knees - no bending, no crouching, no stooping. My house is slowly decaying around me. I can not sit at my desk to help out Jay. Instead I lean back on the bed -a bout the only place to get comfortable. Even going to the bathroom is well, tender.

I have made multiple calls to the doctor's office since. I have gotten surly nurses who seemed totally put out that I am calling. I have gotten unanswered calls. No one has suggested that I come back in, or talk to a doctor. Noth-ing. I have explained that I am not a drug seeker (suggested to me by a friend who is a doctor). I want a solution, therapy, anything.

To be fair, I have been offered one other solution - prednisone (sp) which I told dr. #1 I couldn't take because it turned me into a caged wild cat (seriously) - can't sleep, highly agitated, shortness of breath, etc.

Now, I understand, my MRI was at 4:30 pm on a beautiful NC Friday afternoon - no one with any sense was working, let alone a doctor. However, the technician offered that I would hear something in 2-3 days. I asked for clarification - so probably Monday? She said, oh, no, sometimes they work Saturday and Sunday, so you might hear sooner. We will send these results right over. I am thinking - great - I clarified it, now I know. Saturday and Sunday came and went and no answers. I called this morning and no one has seen the results. In fact, the person who called me back said it might even be tomorrow. WHAT?!??!?!

I spent three years dealing with Ansley's cancer. Never, NEVER, did things take this long. The Imaging Center and my doctor are all part of the medical monopoly in High Point called Cornerstone. There should be some collaboration here, right?

Have I given my doctor's office the wrong impression? Why doesn't anyone in the medical community seem to care that I am disabled and cannot take care of my family? Do I just need to go in there and raise holy heck to get some help? Is the system that broken?

Suggestions welcome.