- FAST -FaithfulandSteadfastto God

Back to Square One/Moving to Square Three?

When your primary refers you to a specialist for an opinion, what is your expectation or anticipation?  New insight into symptoms, innovative treatment for ailments, latest therapy techniques for recovery? 

Testing to move forward in diagnosis and treatment sounds reasonable and logical.  Although you just got a $396 bill for the consultation that insurance approved as covered with your co-pay.  Just to check you call the central billing number, and go through twelve prompts to get to a rep.  They ask you everything including, what did you order from McDonald's drive thru on the 30th?  Uh, side salad?   Gzzzzzxxxzzzzzzzzzzxxxxzzz!!  Not true!  "OK, McDouble and large Coke...the dollar menu."  WE KNEW THAT!    OK, why did I get this bill.  Let me check.  Oh, we just send out bills.  Why?  We just do; can I be of any other assistance today?  Well, why...bill?  Thank you for calling; you'll get another bill next month.  Bye, have a nice day and a wonderful Holiday....you dummmmmm... fool, hahahahahah!", after she clicks off and on to the next customer service contact.

Signing in to the next appointment for testing, don't mention the bill cause don't want any medical staff getting p.....ed off at you.  Now you're in the flourescent-light blinding room, chest naked, gown open to the front...this will be cold, at which time you're twisted into contorted positions even "The Jerk" couldn't accomplish on two feet, but you're  sideways on a flat vinyl table with jelly on your chest and sonogram mouse taking pictures of ventrica, arteries, chambers, and valves, at the same time a pulsimeter measures the ba bum, ba bum, ba bum, ba bum.  Oh good, I have one.

Taping the gown shut with scotch tape, there are no ties at the top, you're told, doctor will be right in.  Next test requires an IV which he has to set up.  Your doctor left to go to the hospital, but we'll find another one.  Later, in the aftermath, your doctor sticks his head through the door, "Doing all right?"  Before you can answer, he shuts the door and moves on.  Clearly there has been no 45 minute hospital visit, but Ramadan shopping; everyone gets into the reason for the season...shopping and shipping, him to Mom in suburban Calcutta.

While he was out, the other doctor, stating that he doesn't know my "history" starts the IV.  I am not looking when he shouts, "Bleeding...it's bleeding!"  At which time I look down to see red spurting from the vein that  he found.  Over the next 30 seconds I'm reeling as continuing to glance at the problem arm area where red keeps flowing freely down my arm, on the table, to the floor, flowing and dripping.  At which time he tells me he hasn't done this for 20 years.  I begin to get light-headed and start to faint, murmuring...I can't do this, can't do this.  With fight or flight setting in I would run if I could stand up.  He keeps ordering the two nurses to clean up the blood as it continues to run while I am wondering when or if he plans to stop it; I wanted to apply direct pressure myself, but there was a needle in the vein.  After a few minutes, the three of them confirmed that the IV was ready, and I would have the test.  I tried to get out of it, thinking if this doctor didn't know how to stop bleeding from the IV, how could he administer the IV drug and conduct the test without killing me.  At their mercy, I laid back slightly convulsing and they started the drip.  Now move, they said, there it goes.  Heart starts audibly pumping on the computer; now more; heart is pounding...babum, babum, babum, babum, babum.  Now more; one's taking pictures of my heart with the sonogram while another is amping up the drug.  Up to 91; got to get up to 132.  Oh no, they're not.  Okay now the heart is racing, whole body is shaking, bbbm  bbbm  bbbm  bbbm bbbm bbbm bbbm bbbm bbbm, no time in between for the vowels.  It's at 124, keep going.  At which time I determined, "No!  That's it, my extremities are numb, you have to stop at 124; that's good enough."  After more of their insistence, I declined the optimal rate; they allowed the speed to slow down, and continued to take pictures.  It's over; it's over; I'm freezing; get dressed and stumble to the door. "Wait, let me take out the IV needle; oh, it's still bleeding; must be your medication." 

What medication, I thought, Vitamin D and neosporin on my finger cut; yeah, that must be it.   Don't say anything; you don't want to get any of these p...ed off at you.  They could really nail you on the bill next time.  You're outta there.

That was  Square Two; not gonna be any moving on to Square Three.