Is it just me?

I went to the new doctor (my 4th) to go over what seems to be my only option on the Oct 11th. I liked her. She was very good about spending time with me and going over everything and making sure all my questions were answered. That was so huge for me. I really felt okay with moving forward.
The doctor said she was aiming towards 10/30 for my LAVH and that the scheduling person would call me to give me the details. She had them draw some blood to check my hormone levels to help determine wether to keep the ovaries. I went ahead and had my annual pap and she did an HPV test so that we could determine if I kept my cervix.(Had bad paps and a leep in 1992) She had me come in the next day to have an updated ultrasound . She told me she did not have to have all these results in to get me scheduled. I was told that we would make these decisions at my pre op.
Well here it is a week tomorrow and I still don't have a call from the scheduling person at the doctors office. I waited until yesterday (Monday) in the morning to call to check on it left a message and never heard back. I called late yesterday afternoon and got a hold of the girl to find out she still does not have my file and when she got it she would let me know. (Like I was bothering her!) I asked her if she would look into it and she said she would and would let me know. I waited until 11:00 today and left another message. Then I called back at 2pm after lunch. She told me she still did not have my chart an she couldn't do anything about it. I asked her if she looked into it and she said that the doctor has my messages. The doctor need to fill out her paper work and when she (the scheduling person) gets it she will let me know. Is it just me? Am I being unreasonable? I know I'm uptight and want to get this over with but should it take this long? I need some notice to get things in order.
Sorry to freak out on you guys but I'm so frustrated!

I could have written your post. In fact I think I did with a little difference here and there a couple of weeks ago. Love my doctor. She is great, explains things etc. but her office staff stinks. Really big practice with multiple doctors and perhaps they are over-worked. I don't know. But expecting a call back in a day is not being unreasonable. Even if it's only to tell you they don't have things firmed up yet, would be fine. Do they think that ignoring your calls is making you forget that you are having the surgery? Plus, if there are setbacks with the date, please let you know so you can make other arrangements. I had called my office about dates for pre-ops as well as when the urodynamics study would be done. I called on a Thurs. morning after I hadn't heard in a day or 2 like they said and they said they would leave a message with the nurse and have her call me back. No call. Went through it all again on Friday also with no call and a bad attitude from the front desk when i was less than happy with them/the office etc. I honestly thought the next call I was going to make would be saying I was bleeding profusely with shortness of breath or something to get the da*& nurse to call me back. Then I could say, "Oh. I think I'm fine now. But, I do have a question...LOL" Fortunately the nurse called finally on that following Monday but I already knew the schedule since I received paperwork in the mail on saturday from the Urodynamics office. Talk about bad mail.

Anyway, to answer your question, you are not unreasonable. Put in a call to the doctor and tell them you will hold since you have been waiting for a return call since Monday and you can't wait another day. You can be really nice about it and very polite and just say, "Oh, you know, I think I will hold..." really cheerfully. (gag). Many (((hugs))) for your upcoming surgery.
Tricia

Good grief! I'm sorry you're having such a hard time getting the information. It is frustrating that the doctor's office is not being more sensitive about letting you know what's going on.

I was extremely lucky and actually kind of surprised at how efficient my doctor and staff turned out to be. The medical group I use has two offices. I had to see the surgeon at a different office than normal for the exam to confirm surgery. His scheduling nurse is in the office I usually go to and they told me to wait a week for a surgery date. I got a call the NEXT DAY! The nurse had already transcribed the doctor's notes and gave me a surgery date and on the same call made my pre-op appointments with the doctor and at the hospital.

Maybe your doctor is at a busy period or just overloaded? I hope you get your answer soon so you can plan everything properly!

...popping into to the doctors office and offering to take the papers to the hospital yourself. You can just say you were in the neighbourhood, and since you had not heard back you thought you'd stop by to see if you could help out, after all (and say this with a lot of pitty in your voice), "I know that you guys are SOOOO busy".

I work in a hospital, and deal with this type of thing often. I think that part of the problem might be that we are comfortable with our jobs, and know what the procedures are, and we just know that things usually get done. But an offer for help is usually warmly recieved, especially if you can be non confrontational, with an empathetic approach (even though inside you want to say "don't you get it????, this is really flippin' important to me!!!"). I know you are anxious, as you should be. Call often if that is easier for you, it is your health, not theirs, who cares if you come accross as impatient; you need to know, and have the right to know!

Take good care!

Sarah

Thanks girls. It so nice to be understood. I guess the doctors scheduling person understood today when I called and had an absolute hissy fit with her. I told her I thought it was crazy that I could not get a call back from anyone and if it's going to be this hard perhaps I should find another doctor. (I told you guys I have mood swings) Well so happens 2 hrs later I got a message to call the office in the morning to get the surgery scheduled. I'll be surprised if I can still have the Oct 30th. I'll bet it's been filled.
I hate it that I pitched such a stink. The last thing I want to do is make the doctor mad. She wil have a sharp object ya know

If you do have the 30th, we can hold each other's mental hand. I'll be going the same day, and we're not that far from one another.

I too had to pitch a conniption, but it was with the referral clerk, not the scheduler.

Lena

s to you! No, you are not being unreasonable. I would be upset too and would mention it to the dr when you talk to her. Hopefully they will call you soon with the results and setting a date.

I guess I am very fortunate since my dr's office is totally on computers - files, sonograms, ultrasounds and all. They even put a picture of you on your file for added security. Dr walks around with a lap top and all of his notes go right into your file. Everything is immediately added, so there is no waiting for anything to be transcribed. It is wonderful and helps speed up the scheduling, etc. Plus, his office is great about calling back.

Shelby