"Hope", But Zero Trust

Yesterday, we did not hear ANYTHING back from the orthopedic specialist.  My wife and I were both feeling emotionally distraught and agitated all day, waiting and hoping for a call.  

By later in the day we were both so out of sorts.  We talked and decided my wife should call back into the "specialist" group.  The receptionist who answered immediately did the same sort of "run-around" dismissive crap to my wife that had been going on with every receptionist with every medical event of the past weeks..... including not being able to find records, and all sorts of related garbage.

I am of the opinion that in the current state of US health care, most receptionists have as their primary role to be "bodyguards" of sorts for any clinician.... basically obfuscating, lying, distracting, and doing any damn thing they can to not have to assist patients.

In the last several days, I do not know HOW MANY TIMES my wife was told that a) no records were showing (and they WERE SHOWING in each case, but the receptionist could not initially find them), b) that the test provider (for the MRI for instance) has not reported any results to the primary care physician (even though they had been visible to my wife (AND THE DOCTOR) for at least three days, before the clinician then told us the doctor would not be in until next week),  c) that "someone" would get back to us "later in the day" (which never happened and we had to basically call and call and call through the process again the next day).  

So.... at the end of the day yesterday, my wife called the "orthopedic specialist group" back.... went through the rigamarole AGAIN of "no medical records" (not true), "no indication of a prior contact to this group"  (again, not true, and further investigation by the same damn receptionist she talked to yesterday, finally uncovered the prior contact), and "no one is available" (same old shit as has been going on)...... finally my wife broke down in tears on the phone with the person, reiterating (AGAIN) that is has been four weeks and no diagnosis nor treatment plan has occurred.  

My wife was placed on hold while she was sobbing.  

When the receptionist eventually returned, she told my wife that she could schedule her in with "Dr. XXX" at 8:00am Friday (which as I write this, is today, even though the call was last night).  

My wife and I are "cautiously" relieved that TODAY, at least there MIGHT be SOME SORT OF PROGRESS. 

However, the jaded part of me is expecting there to be some sort of additional crap and nonsense that will make the appointment not really happen.  

But, we shall see.  I would so love for my wife to have a diagnosis, and a treatment plan, so that she can progress and heal.  I am so worried that with her other health concerns, that this month of extremely limited mobility may have harmed her and weakened her in ways that scare the hell out of me.  

I want there to be some support today, some movement, some sort of PLAN for her to heal.

I am very fearful that this will not happen.  I feel as if we are in a vat of quicksand, and we are struggling to not sink further, with every struggle, we are falling only inches away from when the quicksand will swallow us whole.

PipeTobacco