Emergency?
A week or so ago I called my Doctor's office for an appointment because I have been feeling run down and crappy. The receptionist informed me that my doc is out on medical leave because she had "emergency" back surgery.
AGAIN.
I don't know what my doc has done to her back, but this is the third or fourth time she has had "emergency" back surgery.
Now I don't know what "emergency" means to the rest of the world, but to me using the word implies "urgent" and "necessary." Like, if my doc was walking down the street, or cooking dinner, or shopping or something and then BOOM she fell over in excruciating pain for which she was rushed to the hospital and surrounded by surgeons who did "Emergency" surgery.
No, each time she has had the surgery it has been "elective" and because of some ongoing disc problem. She schedules the surgery in advance, but then if you happen to be the unlucky patient who calls her office because you are puking, or fainting, or it hurts when you pee or something, you are told she is out on "Emergency" leave.
Whatever.
When I call because my kidneys feel like someone is stabbing them repeatedly a dull steak knife I consider that an emergency. My docs office, however, considers that something they can see me for in, oh, say A WEEK!
I once called in because the night before the Emergency room doctors said specifically to "follow up with your doctor tomorrow." (I had been rushed via ambulance to the ER because of carbon monoxide poisoning - long story for another time.) Anyway, the nurse told me they were booked up for the rest of the month and I should probably just call them, back if I had any "specific" problems.
I think "I almost died yesterday" is pretty specific don't you?
So, needless to say I was not happy that I felt like crap and my doc was out because she had a very oxymoronic "elective emergency" procedure.
She is not referring her patients to anyone else during her absence.
She will be back in 3 weeks.
Oh yeah, and they did reassure me that her surgery went well and she is recovering nicely.
How nice of them not to want their patients to worry about her.
AGAIN.
I don't know what my doc has done to her back, but this is the third or fourth time she has had "emergency" back surgery.
Now I don't know what "emergency" means to the rest of the world, but to me using the word implies "urgent" and "necessary." Like, if my doc was walking down the street, or cooking dinner, or shopping or something and then BOOM she fell over in excruciating pain for which she was rushed to the hospital and surrounded by surgeons who did "Emergency" surgery.
No, each time she has had the surgery it has been "elective" and because of some ongoing disc problem. She schedules the surgery in advance, but then if you happen to be the unlucky patient who calls her office because you are puking, or fainting, or it hurts when you pee or something, you are told she is out on "Emergency" leave.
Whatever.
When I call because my kidneys feel like someone is stabbing them repeatedly a dull steak knife I consider that an emergency. My docs office, however, considers that something they can see me for in, oh, say A WEEK!
I once called in because the night before the Emergency room doctors said specifically to "follow up with your doctor tomorrow." (I had been rushed via ambulance to the ER because of carbon monoxide poisoning - long story for another time.) Anyway, the nurse told me they were booked up for the rest of the month and I should probably just call them, back if I had any "specific" problems.
I think "I almost died yesterday" is pretty specific don't you?
So, needless to say I was not happy that I felt like crap and my doc was out because she had a very oxymoronic "elective emergency" procedure.
She is not referring her patients to anyone else during her absence.
She will be back in 3 weeks.
Oh yeah, and they did reassure me that her surgery went well and she is recovering nicely.
How nice of them not to want their patients to worry about her.
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