Today I went to get my pre-op blood work done at the hospital. It was 5 minutes of getting my blood taken and a brief chat with a nurse about where to go on the day of my surgery. But I sat in the waiting room for over two hours. "Why?" you ask. "Why?" I asked. Because my doctor's office forgot to fax over the necessary paperwork and I had to wait for the fax to arrive and then wait to be entered into the computer, and then wait for the computer print out so that I could confirm what had been put into the computer.
I have been so annoyed. I called my doctor's office last week to check that they would fax the paperwork. They assured me they would take care of everything. And yet, my day had to be rearranged, because they didn't do it.
I've been reflecting on how annoyed the whole thing makes me. Like I was dealt an injustice by having my two hours taken from me this morning. Doesn't my doctor's office know that they wasted my time. Isn't wasting someone's time very disrespectful in American culture? Aren't I entitled to better treatment? And then I think, "oh well, it was two hours. What's the big deal? Why do I have such a desire to bitch about this?"
And on a completely unrelated note, spending too much time in hospital waiting rooms makes me afraid of growing old. I don't like that it does, but it's a big reality check that I do not spend much time with people whose bodies are failing them. I really like being able to use my body the way I do.
And now I have to laugh at myself, because upon rereading this entry, it occurred to me that my second paragraph isn't all that unrelated from my title. I think my enjoyment of my body is accepted as a sort of entitlement in how I go about my life. But every once and a while I'm reminded to not assume I'm entitled to good health. It is a blessing, a mysterious one at times, and one that makes me grateful that I've lived in places where efficient health care is even an option.
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A space for reflection, insight, and musing on life.
6 comments:
We read your essay this morning on Anne's couch. Anne did the reading. Marti did the listening. We got so drawn in, we felt entitled to more. Please tell Hannah Notess we will not read her book unless she doubles the essay length requirement in order to include ICA til now. We will be awaiting your next installment.
Also, we like this post. More later from Anne on how much healthcare sucks, but is good at the same time. Marti will just make do with concurring with the "sucks" part.
...not to be ungrateful about the "good at the same time part." I am just feeling down about my health insurance, or lack thereof.
Further to your 3 Peas comments:
"How do I do this for 5 months?"
Thought you'd like to know I went out and walked on the beach today straight out of the shower with my hair sopping wet and the wind blowing. I had on a tank top and a light jacket. I was cold, but not too cold to bear it.
I'm just saying. There are options.
So Marti and Anne are up to something!
Kirsten, let's get up to something! That'll show them!
Faxing is the worst. I never trust faxes in health care. Dealing with doctor visits is so stressful, that I think I need a separate specialist just to help me deal with the stress. Ridiculous!
Was I going to say something good? Oh well...
It's an interesting point, Anne, needing a specialist to deal with the stress of doctor's appointments. :) Ironic, but I can see how it would be so true. I'm overwhelmed by just a few doctor's appointments. It must be stressful to look at them as regular, increasing parts of your life.
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