I finally had an appointment with the neurosurgeon I was supposed to see, to try and get some actual answers on what my long term outlook was like and if I had any surgical options. Well...

I'm pretty mad, actually. See, my Orthopedic Surgeon referred me to this neurosurgeon, right? He said specifically that he was referring me there because of my scoliosis. Anyhow, I went to my appointment today and I was on time and everything was fine. The doctor came in quickly, looked at my MRIs and my chart, checked my leg raise/strength, and then said that he was going to refer me to his friend who is a scoliosis specialist. Meaning I just WASTED A TRIP!

I am so annoyed and angry at the Orthopedic Surgeon's office, they are completely incapable stooges! When I first went there, they accidentally set the appointment up at a different office by mistake (one 3 hours away), then they cancelled on me two times in a row and lost my X-ray I had at the same office!!--and then when I finally see them again, they send me to see the wrong specialist? It's ridiculous.

To put this into context, I just had to have my father--who is 67--drive me 3 hours to the outside of Pittsburgh, PA just so I could have a--literally--five minute appointment and be told that I need to see a different doctor in the same city and that they will call me when they can set it up. It'll probably be just in time for snow too! I'm betting that I'll go all the way back there to see this new guy, and he'll just tell me that there isn't anything he can really do. I'm sick of it.

I am SO glad I applied for SSDI/SSI before this. I was thinking 'maybe I should wait again and see what this surgeon says' again, trying to put it off. Thank god I didn't, or I would be furious. I really feel like calling the referring office and giving them my two cents, but it wouldn't do anything but anger someone else so it's pointless. That office is truly pathetic, though. The doctors and care are fine, but if I can find a review on rate my Doctor or something--I am mentioning the receptionist/appointment issues. No one should be given this type of run around and just plain awful service by the receptionists. I have been to many doctor offices in my life and NONE have been this inept and unprofessional. It truly amazes me.

On a related note, driving all that way has taken a toll on me even though I wasn't the one driving. My left side hurts more than usual, and the Tramadol isn't touching it at all. (It never does .) I have an appointment to see Pain Management again, because I just cannot take this situation right now. It's far beyond manageable at this point. Hoping for a better day tomorrow for us all!