GURRRRRLLLLLLLL! Today my frustration factor is through the freaking roof. It just so happens that today doctor offices win the Most Ignunt and Annoying People of the Day Award. Here is the story.
When I got my health insurance in June I had to select a primary care physician. I cannot tell you how sad I was when I found out that the doctor (Workowski) who has treated me now for over a year and half could not be my PCP. That’s alright I said to myself I will just find another doctor who practices at Crawford Long Hospital and that certainly will make things easier. Well I found a doctor who practices medicine on the exact same floor as my Infectious Disease doctor, just on the opposite side of the hall named Dr. Jones. HOW FLIPPIN’ SWEET IS THAT, I said to myself. Well I called and was on hold for 5 minutes before I got kicked to the answering service. They told me that I should try my call again because of heavy call volume. I was a little dismayed because at the ID clinic that has NEVER EVER happened to me (after all I am AIDS boy). So I tried again later that afternoon. Same thing happened. By the third day I was REALLY starting to get annoyed so I actually drove up to Crawford Long and went up to the floor and made the appointment in PERSON. What irritates me is that this is a PRIVATE FACILITY. So anyway I made my appointment and went on my merry way. July 10th came which was the day of my appointment, I met my new PCP and he seemed nice enough (until he stuck a tube with a light on it up my ass without enough lube and hurt me. I still cannot pass gas without discomfort.) had blood work and was sent home with a stool collection kit. . Also I put in a referral to see Dr. Workowski and an orthopedic surgeon for this shin splint that I have. Well while I was on the phone with Blue Cross this morning I asked about referrals on file for me and they didn’t have a single one. I asked if it normally took this long and she said absolutely not there is no single reason why they should not have the referrals in the system.
Jarred’s primary care doctor sucks. A few months ago Jarred came out to his doctor, told him he was gay and that his lover had AIDS. Well Jarred went into the office for a small issue he was having and his doctor asked him about his “wife” and if they were monogamous. EXCUSE ME! I know you see patients everyday but completely forgetting that your patient is gay and that his boyfriend has a terminal illness is UNEXCUSABLE! Considering my doctor (who has never met Jarred knows his name, and my mothers name on top of that) is unbelievable. So when Jarred left his doctor said…”it is probably this but not entirely sure, I do know that it isn’t this…”blah blah blah. So he gives Jarred antibiotics without even doing a test! But being the good patient he is he did as the doctor instructed.
Well since moving here to Atlanta we decided that it would make sense for us to get a PCP that we can actually see together. So I called Dr. Jones’ office this morning to make an appointment. I started calling at 8:00 AM and finally got an answer at 1:00 this afternoon. HELL NO I told myself so I started looking for a new PCP for the both of us immediately. Not to mention that my test results were almost a week late getting to me from his office. So I have decided on Dr. Frieda L Millhouse-Jones. We will see how she works out. I would hate to have to go through this shit again.
Part of the frustration in this factor is that when I had health insurance on my own (pre-sickness) I always had a PPO. While more expensive they are far easier to navigate. I hate having to go to my PCP to get a referral to my Infectious Disease doctor (who has been seeing me for 20 months). I know that I have AIDS I don’t need my PCP to tell me I need to see a specialist. The medical field is set up to make sure that in the realm of HMO and POS plans that doctors get to make a new down payment on their BMWs. However, it is insurance none the less and I am highly grateful.
So I am sure you are wondering how my drawn labs (that just officially arrived today). Here they are:
Glucose, Kidney function, liver, urinalysis, and blood counts were all SATISFACTORY.
My triglycerides is at 204 (less than 250 is desirable)
Total cholesterol is 128 (less than 200 is desirable)
HDL cholesterol is 46 (greater than 40 is desirable)
LDL cholesterol is 71 (less than 100 is desirable)
My stool tested negative for any infectious material. No salmonella/shigella present. No campylobacter species detected. Last but certainly not least no E coli EIA present. The only trace bacteria in my poo is what is present in every bodies.
So that is it for the day. I finally got the release of medical information faxed to the new office. SWEET JESUS AM I TIRED!
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