I just went thru a day from h*** & I was wondering if it is just me or do other people experience problems when given referrals by either their neurologist or GP.
I left my last neurologist because his staff was REALLY DISRESPECTFUL - REFUSING to take messages, RELAY NEED for prescriptions etc. Last week I saw a neurologist that I LOVED for the get go
- seems to really be on top of things & made PROMISES of resolving so many long standing issues or at least make living with them easier.
I was given several referrals. 1 was an Internist, 1 was a physical therapist, 1 was a psychiatrist & what I thought was a DREAM 1 was a CARE COORDINATOR who would set up the appointments for all, set up the EMG for my left hand that has not worked in MONTHS, be a voice of reason & someone to listen when I ran into trouble - sounds great right?
Well I MUST HAVE called the CARE COORDINATOR 6 times - ALWAYS got a voice mail ALWAYS left a message & NO ONE CALLED ME BACK!
OK I will make my own appointments. I called the psychiatrist - her secretary was foreign I have trouble understanding thick accents & when I said I did not understand what she was saying she got annoyed & HUNG UP on me.
I had a referral from someone else who said they spoke to the psychiatrist, she would take my insurance & was expecting my call - 3 messages left for her & she DID NOT call back.
I made a PT appointment for this afternoon, I was really impressed with the facility & when I met the PT I was had a REALLY GOOD FEELING.
We spent OVER 1/2 an hour discussing my long, sorted medical history - 20+ years with MS, Type 2 Diabetes, Asthma, etc., etc. Then he said before he could do anything physical he had to take my vitals. OK been there - done that - spent 6 days in the hospital in February I know the routine. Well he takes my blood pressure 170/130. I said "no the blood pressure cuff is too small it was very tight" he gets a larger cuff & gets equally high number. He gets the centers coordinator waits a bit. ut it is still high. The policy of the center is to call 911. I wanted to go to the ER on my own fearing that if I left my van @ the rehab I would have no way of getting back. The coordinator loaned me money to take a cab back.
Spend the rest of the afternoon being poked & prodded in the ER. They call the internist that the neurologist referred me to. With medication they get my BP down to about 133/95 & I am released & told to call the internist BEFORE 6 pm. I called up until 5:45 & all I got was a recording saying they were there until 6 pm - no way to leave a message & no one answered - huh?
Before having to retire because of the MS I worked in a professional capacity. I could get calls @ 8 am or 2 am & I took care of business I cannot understand how all of these professionals (I use this term loosely) cannot return calls?
Oh my fears about getting back to my van were justified. 3 cabs refused me because of my 11 pound service dog. The security guard in the ER even called & explained the situation they showed up saw the dog & left. I finally walked with great difficulty to the train station a few blocks away - could not figure out which train to get close to the rehab. Had to take an elevator to the upper level go across an overpass take an elevator down walk a half block (you realize I am near death by now) to a car service someone directed me to. IT WAS THE SAME CAR SERVICE THAT KEPT REFUSING TO TAKE ME. My Service Dog had her vest, identifying patches & tags on & the dispatcher argues with me about whether she is a Service Dog. I had to threaten to call the police & relayed another instance where someone refused me service & was fined $500 before they agreed to take me. Then I get a driver who DID NOT know his way around the corner let alone to the rehab & he REFUSED to follow directions from me or the dispatcher. We FINALLY got to the rehab & after spending 20 minutes wandering around the parking lot because he refused to believe me when I said you could only get to the rehab from the side street we arrived at my van. At most it should have taken 15 minutes to get to the rehab & MAYBE 35 minutes for me to get home - well from time of discharge from the hospital to the time I arrived home was OVER 3 HOURS.
I don't want to seem PARANOID or anything - but why aren't people calling me back? And hasn't anyone ever her of Federal Service Dog Laws?