The Waiting Room Is The Hardest Part

Friday was the long-dreaded day of my annual doctor (nurse practitioner) appointment. I hate anything that disturbs my routine. I hate being around sick people. I pretty much just hate being around PEOPLE.

Farmer H dropped me off at the door. It's only the second time I've been to this new facility. Of course Farmer H said he remembered how to get there. It's just behind the old facility that was connected to the hospital. Funny how I had told Farmer H the street name. Yet he still drove past it, and pulled into an apartment complex EXACTLY like the last time he took me, and had to turn around. 

THEN Farmer H drove past the turn into the parking lot of the new facility. Even though you could see the road, and all the cars in the lot, and the building. Luckily there was a half-circle area past it, like half of a cul de sac turnaround.

"I'm sure they put this here just for YOU!"

"Maybe. Or everybody else that drives by looking for the entrance." [Yeah, right]

At least the patients were not elbow-to-elbow in the waiting chairs. I checked in, and only needed to hand over my insurance card for a picture. I sat down and balanced my cane while waiting. I got there at 8:40 for my 9:00 appointment. Had time for the bathroom before check-in. I got called back by 9:00, and was weighed and vital-ed by a wonderful young gal who said she'd been working there for four months. Said she's the one who answers requests for the NP on YourChart. Which made me feel more at ease, knowing there's a real person who does that.

I might as well have had a drive-thru appointment. NP, while his usual friendly self, did not spend any extra time on me. Listened to heart, lungs, and belly. Not even a scope up my nose or in my ear! He DID agree to set me up with a KNEE APPOINTMENT, which I asked for in March. I don't wanna be dealing with it in snow and ice and cold. Then he pointed me to the lab scheduling area for bloodwork.

I was given a little slip of paper with my name and birthdate, and sent back out to the waiting room to schedule my lab. It's a separate desk. A man was in front of the two gals sitting behind computer screens.There was a lady behind him. She shuffled over to the side, and I hobbled around to get behind her. She was pecking around on her cell phone. The man left to sit down and wait. That Lady just stood there. Looking at her phone. 

After a bit, I went around her. I looked at her, to ask if she was in line, but the look on her face did not encourage communication. She was busy with that phone! The gal behind the counter looked at me. Looked at That Lady. Said, "Ma'am, are you in line?" That Lady came to life. "Yes. I am." 

Well. I guess Mrs. HM is the rumpushole here. To save face, I said, "I THOUGHT she was in line, but she didn't move. I guess I'll just walk back around behind her again." And hobbled, leaning perhaps a bit too heavily, on my cane. Far be it for Mrs. HM to let a good opportunity for passive-aggressivism go to waste!!!

Turns out Phoney couldn't be bothered to wait. Upon being told she had 7 people ahead of her, she said she would reschedule, because she had to get to work. So I had 7 people ahead of me instead of 8. Except that was a low-down dirty lie! I sat there time after time as the lab door opened up, and assorted workers called individuals by their name, adding "...for the lab." 

I was ready to spring up out of my chair after the 7th person had been called. But no. It was not until after the 13th labby had gone back that I finally got my turn. She was young, friendly, and a WONDERFUL phlebotomist! I didn't even feel the needle poke in. It made a strange gurgling sound as the tube started filling. I hope I don't have an air bubble waiting to kill me! But the stick was painless, no blood on the gauze, no knot. I told her how great she was, and she said, "Thank you. I get a lot of practice here!"

I was released to sweave back home with Farmer H. But for some reason, I have my next appointment in 6 months.