Pretty much I take the kids to the least efficiently run doctor's office in the city. I don't have proof of this but I'm gonna go out on a limb and state it as true. I have a handful of stories that would back up this claim over the past 3 1/2 years! Why not change doctors? Oh, don't think I haven't threatened that in my mind at least 20 times. (I'm sure he would be heartbroken to lose our business since OBVIOUSLY he is the busiest pediatrician in town.) But I genuinely LIKE the doctor and his care for my kids, its the way the office is managed that makes me want to lay down on the floor and have a temper tantrum of my own.
My first mistake was scheduling an afternoon appointment. I NEVER schedule an afternoon appointment, especially for a well visit. I'm not that experienced of a mom, but even I know that the later you go in the day, the longer you sit in the waiting room; praying your kid doesn't touch, breath or lick anything contagious. So imagine my horror when I realized I would be taking all three of my kids to this 4:00 appointment (that wasn't even truly necessary.)
Because I have a *slight* obsession with being on time (as in if I'm not 10 minutes early, I consider myself late, kind of obsession) we arrived at 3:50. I had armed myself with a purse full of snacks. For awhile the kids were rather well behaved and the waiting room was rather full. But once they had looked at all the books and re-arranged all the kid sized chairs in the waiting area they began chasing each other. I wasn't thrilled but I figured it would be a few more minutes, they'd call our name and off we'd march to our own little hiding space called the examining room. I made light of their games by laughing it off to another mom whose little girl sat quietly and nicely on her lap, "Obviously, we're here on a well visit." She smiled knowingly and said, "I have two more at home. If they were here they'd all be doing the same thing." But I know in her mind she was REALLY thinking, "You MORON, don't you know to find a babysitter for the other two on a 4:00 appointment? Rookie!"
After several feeble attempts to re-group and get them to NOT play chase or do somersaults down the corridor of the waiting room, I broke out the snacks. And finally, at 4:35 I huffed and puffed my way to the receptionist and *politely* asked the kid behind the desk when he thought we might go back since we had a 4:00 appointment. The kid smiled sheepishly and said, "Well, it looks like you're next to be called back. Dr. Matt is running a bit behind"
UM, HELLO... I have not been here with my three kids for 45 minutes so that we can reschedule this nightmare and come back later in the week to do it all over again. "Yes, we'll stay" is what I ended up telling him.
Steve was on his way home from work so I called him and asked if he could swing by and take at least one kid home so I could regain some sanity. My blood was boiling because don't you know they finally called our name to go back to the examining room where they weighed him and measured him and then we sat and waited ANOTHER 25 minutes to see the doctor. Thankfully, by that time Steve came and we did the trade off. I took Olivia home and Steve stayed with the 2 boys.
So that's that. I officially hate going to the doctor's more than my kids do. Have you ever broken up with your pediatrician? If so, I'd love to hear how you did it and any advice you have on this one. Thanks.
5 comments:
Yes. In fact I broke up with your pediatrician, and partly for those reasons. It just ain't worth it.
And, if they are going to make you wait for an hour, then they need to not care when your kids turn the waiting room into a jungle gym. What the heck else are they going to do?!
I broke up with Joshua's first dr! She had a son born 1 day before him and would NOT stop comparing them. i was like, HELLO! Every kid is different! Breaking up was easy to do. :)
We switched pediatricians when Lane was about 6 months old....we love the one we've been with since. We never wait longer than 5min. to be taken back to a room, and he usually comes in almost immediately, and we've been going there for 7.5 years. And he is a Christian. Let me know if you want info on him.
I've broken up with my pediatrician TWICE. The first Dr. was abrupt and talked "down" to me like I was a first grader and the office staff were morons. The second pediatricians office gave conflicting advice depending on which doctor you saw when you went for the appt. Apparently the doctors in this office didn't get along as eventually they split. We like our 3rd pediatricians office. We've rarely waited over 20 min. and the office staff is efficient! I think you need to break up. It isn't hard to do. Write a note to your doctor and request that your children's files be forwarded to this other doctor. Easy! You won't have second thoughts once it is done.
I'm still with the same office as when Elena was born (as opposed to Cindy... can you tell who doesn't like change???). It's run badly, and we've actually waited 2 hours and regularly wait 1 hour. I'd leave in a minute if I didn't feel like my dr. has saved Jandro's life several times over. So, I stick it out with her. Love her. Hate the office. I'm ALL about the early morning appt. or the right after lunch appt. I ask for them. and never on Mondays when all the sick kids from the week-end are coming in. Good luck. :)
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