People in wheelchairs, please use your flight powers to ascend the stairs

[rachelmanija]

I'm still recovering from my vacation. Since I think it would make a bad impression to go out and cough on people I'm trying to sell stuff to, I'm not back to the day job yet. I did poke at chapter one of Secret Project # 1, with the result that it's (maybe) improved but also now far too long. Dammit.

I should mention at this point that I went to sleep last night at 11:00, and woke up an hour ago at noon. I hope that helped, though probably not with the Secret Project, unless a bunch of gremlins or my cats edited it while I was asleep.

I went to my new orthopedist, a guy at Kerlan Jobe, who immediately struck me as about a gazillion times better than the old guy-- this one actually listened to what I had to say, for one, rather than poking my back for three minutes and then running out the door, and also dictated his impressions from the examination into a hand-recorder in front of me, so I could hear what he thought and what was actually on the record. (Summary in layman's terms: "There's obviously something wrong but I'm not yet sure what's causing it.") He wants to see my X-Rays, CT scan, bone scan, etc, saying that they're only as good as the person interpreting them. So I collected my 20th new prescription and went to Cedars-Sinai, where I filled out a form so I can get the bone scan and CT scan (on CD, I think) on Thursday.

Then I went to the former orthopedist's office. (He does not yet know that he's former, and you'll see why in a moment.) I should have known this was not a good place when I showed up the first time and found that it was on the second floor and the elevator was broken. Anyway, I went to the front desk and asked for my X-Rays.

"Why didn't you call first?" asked the Snotty Receptionist-- I should mention that all the receptionists are snotty at this place. (They were polite, friendly, and professional at Kerlan-Jobe and Cedars-Sinai.)

"Because it's impossible to get through to anyone on the phone," I said. "Anyway, I'm here now, so may I have them, please?"

"No," said SR.

"They're my X-Rays," I said. "I have the right to get them from you."

"Well... the guy who does that isn't here now."

"These aren't new X-Rays," I said. "They're old ones, they're just sitting in my file, all you have to do is open my file and take them out."

"No, they're in the X-Ray room, and there's only one person who can get them, and I don't even know where she is. I haven't seen her since one o'clock."

"Then PAGE her!" I suggested.

Noticing that all the patients in the lobby were getting overly interested in this conversation, SR had me sit down and wait.

Soon she beckoned me back up to the desk. "She can't find them," said SR with every evidence of satisfaction.

"What do you mean, she can't find them? Aren't they in my file?"

"I dunno, she says she can't find them."

("A haaaaandbaaaaag?") "Do you mean to tell me that you LOST my X-RAYS?!" I said, projecting throughout the lobby.

"No, no!"

"Well, if you haven't LOST my X-RAYS, then take my file off the wall, pull them out, and GIVE THEM TO ME."

"Yeah, but the guy who knows where everything is isn't here, so it's not that simple, so you'll just have to go back home and call him."

"When's he in?"

"I dunno, he's out sick."

"OK, fine," I said. "I will call him every day until I get them. What's his extension?"

SR rolled her eyes. "He doesn't have one."

I'm thinking it might be easiest if Kerlan-Jobe took their own X-Rays.

Comments

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear about your new orthopedist and PT.

I wanted to get a copy of my file too, but I figured the X-Rays were a bigger deal and it would be easier to get them if I didn't make a fuss over the file first.