Nine blood tests and counting....

How many months and blood tests does one Doctor need?

I have lost the count after nine.

The fact that we are now in mid-November, having cycles that are lasting nine miserable days, and I have yet to find out if I need Medication, an ultrasound or a D&C (Dilation and Curettage procedure, a surgical procedure to remove abnormal tissues in the uterine lining). So I do what every hormonal woman would do after nine blood tests; I called my Gynecologist office and said that I am not going to get another blood test and that they needed to decide now which of the three I should have.

The doctor decided that it would be a D&C. Sounds simple enough, right? No. In order to get the D&C I needed approval from my insurance. So while I am vacationing in Seattle; I get a call from the doctor’s office, and they have the approval. I make my appointment, and the scheduler wants me to get a blood and urine test. Ugh! Really!? Another? You can’t be serious? Sadly they were. So Tuesday November 12; after flying home from Seattle, I go straight to the doctor’s office to get that lab slip. 

You would think that I would have some paperwork waiting for me, or even the directions to where this surgery will take place, but no. Instead I needed to fight for the lab slip from the coordinator, who tells me knows that I need to fill out paperwork. She never said any of this before. We have a discussion that basically comes down to me receiving my lab paperwork, and the coordinator will talk to the doctor. Apparently there are some consent forms that I need to fill out first. I suspect that they would give me some sort of “what to do” form, as well as an address where the procedure would take place. I get my lab work fulfilled on Wednesday and wait for the coordinators call. I never get one. I call on Friday and only get the answering service who said, "what do you want me to do about it". Good question. I have no idea? What action do you take when your physician is not paying attention to you for four months after your miscarriage?  They were unhelpful and ended up hanging up on me. Now they are acting as if I am not negotiable. Rightly so! I have been patient for four months. Now I have gone from zero to bitch in three seconds flat. So I do what any hormonally charged infertile woman would do after having tolerance for over four months. I decided that this is not the OB/GYN for me. Ms. Mona and Dr. L have treated me like the needy stepchild who is annoying you. After having so much loyalty as a patient, this was not the ending I would have envisioned. Dr. L has helped deliver my family and friends.

Once Randy and I have made this decision, there is no turning back, but now the calls come all morning long. First I got a call back from the answering service asking if I want them to call the scheduler. I said no. just make sure that the Doctor’s time has been respected more than mine and let him know that I will not be there on Monday. Next the hospital called. I finally had it and expressed everything that has happened to me for the past four months. I was asked to tell the director of the hospital. I was called back by him, and he expressed his concern and said that he personally was going to report to the doctor. I mentioned that this will not change my mind. 

The Monday that I was supposed to have my D&C, Randy and I made a visit to my general practitioner and asked for a referral. I did my homework well. I called my insurance group and inquired about all the OB/GYN’s, called them all to see who’s office was friendly and helpful and who was taking more patients. Together we made a decision with my general practitioner and ordered a Pelvic Ultrasound and a referral to another local doctor.

 © All original content copyright Nancy De Lazzaro Brannum, 2013-2013