KATHLEEN O'DONNELL
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No...It Can't Be That Part II

10/2/2013

11 Comments

 
Picture
Where were we?

Right. 12 year Doc said: It's your hips...torn labrums. I don't do that surgery. No one here does. You have to go to UCLA.

Me: Surgery? What about physical th-

Doc: Nope. They're torn. If you want to fix them, its surgery. 

It took two months to get an appointment at UCLA. 

Weird UCLA Doc's assistant tells me: She'll want to see your MRI.

Me: Ummm...well...I don't have that in my purse or anything. Can she get it from my last doctor?

Weird Assistant:  We don't do that. You have to get them and bring them with you.

Now, I don't know about you, but the last I heard this was the 21st century. The digital age. I can take a photo with my freaking phone and email it to my kids. Has this news not hit the medical profession?

Me: Don't they just email them or something?

Weird Assistant: No. You have to bring them. If it wasn't film you could FAX them.

FAX? Should I just strap them to a pigeons leg and have them flown over? WTF?

Two months later in UCLA Doc's office. My appointment was at 1:00. She saw me at 3:00

UCLA Doc: I looked at the MRI and you do have torn labrums on both sides.

Me: I know.

UCLA Doc: But, this isn't the right kind of MRI.

Me: There's a wrong kind?

UCLA Doc: Yep. I need the kind with contrast. This one doesn't have contrast. So, you'll need to get that done at your local doctors office and come back.

Me: This is UCLA. You don't do that here?

UCLA Doc: No...yeah...well...it's best if you just do it there and bring the films with you again when you come back.

Me: It took me two months to get this appointment. It's a two hour drive, one way. Plus I waited two hours in the waiting room.

UCLA Doc: I'll have my assistant give you priority.

That was reassuring. 

I head for the door.

UCLA Doc, pointing at my feet: You'll need to stop wearing those. 

Those would be my stilettos.

Me: That's not gonna happen. 

UCLA Doc, smiling: No, I'm not kidding. You can't wear those. You have a serious hip injury.

Me: I'm not kidding either. It's not gonna happen. Who's in charge now?

I thought she should know who she was dealing with. 

Everybody knows the way you look is WAY more important than your health. Duh. I wasn't born yesterday.

Another month later in UCLA Doc's office with the right kind of MRI, stilettos ON. My appointment was at 2:00. I saw the doctor at 4:00.

UCLA Doc: You need surgery.

Me: I know. I knew that before I got here. With the wrong kind of MRI.

UCLA Doc, not really listening: I do one hip at a time, three months apart. My assistant will book it.

Me to Weird Assistant: I need to book my surgery.

Weird Assistant: She books 2-3 months out.

Two and a half months later, surgery day arrives. 

It's been almost a year since my first doctors appointment. 

Hubby and I are driving to UCLA, my cell phone rings.

Me: Hello?

Voice on phone:  This is blah, blah, from Blue Shield. 

Me: Yes?

Blah, Blah from Blue Shield: I'm afraid your hip surgery isn't covered by your current insurance plan.


11 Comments
William Martin link
10/2/2013 06:43:27 am

There should be some way we could bill those in the medical profession for wasting our time.

You know...I know a guy who knows a guy. Just sayin'

Reply
Kathleen
10/2/2013 08:22:39 am

Then they'd be broke and we...wouldn't be. It's crazy making.

Reply
Carol Cassara link
4/11/2014 01:40:46 am

Who faxes any more? Seriously? Carrier pigeon, indeed!

Reply
Kathleen
4/11/2014 02:37:13 am

At UCLA no less. Not very confidence building.

Reply
A Pleasant House link
4/11/2014 01:46:02 am

WTH? Like THIS is e-l-e-c-t-i-v-e.

Reply
Kathleen
4/11/2014 02:41:08 am

I know, right? Those posts are about my first two surgeries. I'm now on my fourth. Same experience four years later. Sigh.

Reply
Rena McDaniel link
4/11/2014 02:01:02 am

That's not funny but so funny! I can't imagine the frustration! I was diagnosed with Felty's Syndrome in 2011 (a rare form of RA) and for two years I saw 5 different doctors who diagnosed me with everything from fibromyalgia to "it's all in your head". Two years and five Drs and not one took a simple blood test which would show I have barely any white blood cells!

Reply
Kathleen
4/11/2014 02:44:55 am

It is so frustrating. Seriously. My favorite was when my doc suggested anti-depressants…hope your syndrome is under control!

Reply
Claudia Schmidt link
4/11/2014 07:39:30 am

Oh god, don't get me started when they ask you to bring your films. I finally wound up getting 2 sets of all my mammograms and MRI's just because I had to spend so much time juggling them between all the different doctor's offices. It's absolutley ridiculous. Can't wait to see some of those stilettos. Why don't you do a post of them? I for one would love to see them all lined up :)

Reply
Kathleen
4/11/2014 08:19:32 am

It's beyond ridiculous. I can't imagine dealing with all that PLUS cancer. I'm so excited to read you want to see my shoes! I actually started a post about them but then let it hang. I definitely will do it! My shoes are SO deserving of their own post!

Reply
Diane link
4/12/2014 01:08:28 am

Now MY hips are hurting just reading this!

Reply

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  • Home
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