God I hate Dr. appointments

[bigjohn]

Had to take the wife to her heart Dr. appointment in Columbia. Fight all the idiots who seemed to get their driving lessons at Walmart.An hour both ways for 30 minutes of Dr. time. I had driven her over there a month or so ago only to be told they hadn't received test back yet. WTF, you couldn't have called.

[segsarge]

I'm the one the nurses joke about at the Dr's office. I'll do most anything to keep from going. The only way they can get me in there is to cut off my meds at the pharmacy until I go see them.

[bigjohn]

Been there done that sarge lol

[bigbob]

May 30, 2024 19:18:26 GMT -6 segsarge said:

I'm the one the nurses joke about at the Dr's office. I'll do most anything to keep from going. The only way they can get me in there is to cut off my meds at the pharmacy until I go see them.

x2! LOL

[Walleye Joe]

May 31, 2024 14:52:17 GMT -6 bigbob said:

May 30, 2024 19:18:26 GMT -6 segsarge said:

I'm the one the nurses joke about at the Dr's office. I'll do most anything to keep from going. The only way they can get me in there is to cut off my meds at the pharmacy until I go see them.

x2! LOL

I'm pretty much the same way! 

[krank]

It is really a crisis. Incompetence seems SOP at hospitals. They charge $100 a minute and say they are short staffed because of funding. I can only bash the medical society so much out of respect for some nurses. They take a lot of abuse but they still personally care about you.
One time we took our mother in law in for a test. We came back a week later to see the test results. The doctor said the test results were not back yet but wanted to proceed because the test results had nothing to do with her problem. Just wow.

[segsarge]

The family doctor we have is pretty good, I guess. He knows his limitations and is quick to send you to a specialist if it's something he's not sure of. As far as hospitals go, you have to travel about 40 miles to get to a decent one. There's one locally, but it's the worst I've ever seen. The local ambulance service won't take you anywhere else. So if one of us needs to go we have to get them in the truck and drive. I've made several middle of the night trips getting the wife to the ER that way.

[bigjohn]

Our hospital is also a joke,just as soon go to the local vet. I wasn't too impressed with MU hospital either.

Gotta make a trip to Columbia again Wed so they can test the wife's only kidney. Test at 11am and then see the Dr. at 1:30 WTF? Spend a whole day and hope hear something.

[segsarge]

There's also a VA clinic locally but I don't use it. Doesn't help the wife any. I tried going there several times in the past. Last time I went I had an infected tooth and the whole side of my face was swollen. Couldn't get in to see the family doctor or a dentist for a couple of weeks. All I wanted was something to relieve the swelling. The staff at the reception desk were really nice and helpful. Once I got to the exam room an older lady doctor came in and poked and prodded in the side of my face. She left and was gone for about 30 minutes. When she came back and began to lecture me about how VA was not a source for "people like you" to get pain killers. Said "VA doesn't do that" and "I'd have to go elsewhere to find my fix."
She continued chewing my ass for about 5 minutes and finally handed me a bottle of antibiotics. She was rude and insulting. I haven't been back since. I've had others tell me that VA is great and it's the only place they'll go. I'm glad they get the care they need, but I won't go back.

[bigbob]

Should've asked for a Vet Rep to complain, but every now and again, the VA goes on a "clean out the junkies" drive, and they rant and rave at everyone that asks for pain relief.

[tickranch]

Jun 3, 2024 7:09:50 GMT -6 segsarge said:

There's also a VA clinic locally but I don't use it. Doesn't help the wife any. I tried going there several times in the past. Last time I went I had an infected tooth and the whole side of my face was swollen. Couldn't get in to see the family doctor or a dentist for a couple of weeks. All I wanted was something to relieve the swelling. The staff at the reception desk were really nice and helpful. Once I got to the exam room an older lady doctor came in and poked and prodded in the side of my face. She left and was gone for about 30 minutes. When she came back and began to lecture me about how VA was not a source for "people like you" to get pain killers. Said "VA doesn't do that" and "I'd have to go elsewhere to find my fix."
She continued chewing my ass for about 5 minutes and finally handed me a bottle of antibiotics. She was rude and insulting. I haven't been back since. I've had others tell me that VA is great and it's the only place they'll go. I'm glad they get the care they need, but I won't go back.

Some time back, I was having extreme back pain, the nurse practitioner (a quack wanna be) wouldn’t give me anything for pain.  I became a squeaky wheel, and eventually I got ahold of a real doctor who did me right.  In the mean time I reverted to a time tested pain killer, whiskey.  I have since fired the quack wanna be, and now have a real doctor.  This was at the VA.

[segsarge]

I did tell the woman at VA that I wasn't looking for pain killers, the OTC stuff was working to make it tolerable. I usually take Aleve for things like backache or headaches. Didn't matter, she was going to have her say. Maybe she was just having a bad day or maybe she was just a bitch. Who knows?
I've tried whiskey for pain but it doesn't work for me. I end up being drunk and in pain. Whiskey does help with a sinus infection though. A friend of mine makes some 160 proof "cough medicine" that clears a person's airway in a hurry.
I guess VA is better than no health care at all, but IMO not much. They're like all government agencies, full of waste and unqualified people. Maybe it's just the clinic we have locally. Although, a guy I worked with at the prison only uses VA. He went to the VA hospital in St Louis for a hernia operation. He ended up with a scar about 7-8 inches long that looked like Dr Frankenstein did it. Again, I'm glad that they are there for vets that have no place else to go. But I'll pass.

[tickranch]

Jun 4, 2024 8:48:43 GMT -6 segsarge said:

I did tell the woman at VA that I wasn't looking for pain killers, the OTC stuff was working to make it tolerable. I usually take Aleve for things like backache or headaches. Didn't matter, she was going to have her say. Maybe she was just having a bad day or maybe she was just a bitch. Who knows?
I've tried whiskey for pain but it doesn't work for me. I end up being drunk and in pain. Whiskey does help with a sinus infection though. A friend of mine makes some 160 proof "cough medicine" that clears a person's airway in a hurry.
I guess VA is better than no health care at all, but IMO not much. They're like all government agencies, full of waste and unqualified people. Maybe it's just the clinic we have locally. Although, a guy I worked with at the prison only uses VA. He went to the VA hospital in St Louis for a hernia operation. He ended up with a scar about 7-8 inches long that looked like Dr Frankenstein did it. Again, I'm glad that they are there for vets that have no place else to go. But I'll pass.

Just curious, are you talking about the VA in Warrensburg?  If so, was the woman’s last name Belvins, or something like that?

[segsarge]

OMG are there two of them? No, this was the clinic in Farmington.

[tickranch]

Jun 4, 2024 11:38:31 GMT -6 segsarge said:

OMG are there two of them? No, this was the clinic in Farmington.

LOL, apparently so!  First time I saw her was when we had to wear the stupid masks.  When she came into the room I had taken mine off, & she jumped me telling me to put it back on.  Then periodically during the time I was there, she’d scoot back her chair, take her’s off & tell me how great she is.  I finally told her to put her mask back on…she didn’t like it.  She also took a cell phone call from one of her kids during the visit, and was giving instructions what needed to be done.  Very unprofessional, and there are a lot of other things I didn’t like.

[bigjohn]

Never used any of my GI benefits. As much screw ups I'd seen in the Army was enough to discourage me lol

[segsarge]

As much as I complain about VA, I have to say they are better than the local hospital. Several of my friends have died there. One went in for "routine" surgery. They nicked an artery during the operation and sent him home. He was dead within 24 hours.
I've only been to a VA hospital once. John J. Pershing in Poplar Bluff, the clinic in Farmington said I had a irregular heart beat so they sent me there to get a heart monitor. The staff was nice and everything went smooth. Had to be back there right at 24 hours later. They took the monitor off and I asked about the results. The nurse said that she wasn't supposed to give out the information, a doctor was supposed to do it. I guess she saw I was disappointed and said "Oh what the hell, you're fine."
I've heard horror stories about the one in St Louis though. The neighborhood is like a war zone.

[bigbob]

That's the one I use, the VA Goon Squad keeps it pretty well under control, although I don't much like to be down there after dark. Can't carry on the VA property. The locals know it's a FEDERAL OFFENSE to do crime on the VA property.

[bigjohn]

Had to make that hospital run again today. Wife had to have test and x-rays to see if she is still cancer free after losing a kidney. Good news on that front and doesn't need another check up for a year.

For once everything clicked as far as traffic and doctors getting and reading test results. Even my road rage was held in check lol.

[krank]

I just hope and pray that nobody has to go to the Dr. They charge $100 a minute and complain about going broke.