Parker is scheduled for a trach/vent clinc for tomorrow. We’ve had this appointment for months.
The beauty of a trach/vent clinic appointment is that you have the attention of BOTH your ENT AND your Pulmo at. the. same. time.
For a Mama trying to keep her medically fraglile kid with special needs alive, two doctors in the same room at the same time talking about YOUR kid is like Christmas, Easter and your birthday all rolled into one.
I really trust both Parker’s ENT and Pulmo. So imagine my surprise when I get a phone message last night reminding me of Parker’s appointment with a totally different pulmonologist. One I’ve never even heard of, or at least remember.
So, bright and early this morning to call up to Primary’s to try and see what is going on. Why we are seeing doctor B instead of Doctor A who Parker has always seen.
I’m connected to The Queen of All Scheduling.
It’s my lucky day!
Or not.
I’m told that there is no record of Parker ever seeing Doctor A. And don’t I know that both Doctor A and Doctor B switch off on who does trach clinic? And, really, doctor B has been a pulmonologist for 20 years, so what is my problem anyway?
Ahem. If I would have known that this was Doctor B’s week to do trach clinic I would have asked to be scheduled for later when Doctor A was available.
I’m HUGE when it comes to having Parker stick with the doctors that make up his team. That is why they are a part of Parker’s team.
The team that keeps my kid alive.
And alive is how I just happen to prefer my kids.
“Well,” the Queen of All Scheduling informs me, “you are totally screwed then.” “Unless perhaps Parker’s PCP is willing to call her back and tell them that a meeting with Doctor A is indeed a good thing.”
Because Parker’s PCP rocks and is the main reason he is still with us, (and totally understands my crazy where Parker is concerned), I knew she would be on board with this plan and called her. We discussed a plan and went to implement it.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans… Â Â To make a frustrating story shorter, because The Queen of All Scheduling didn’t quite have her facts straight, and since the appointment with Doctor B has already been reassigned, we won’t be seeing ANY ONE from pulmo tomorrow.
So no answers as to whether the high levels of ph during the cath could have affected the results. No scheduling of a potential new sleep study to see how the trach leaks on the vent.
No room of Parker’s specialists pow-wowing in Parker’s behalf all. together. in. the. same. room.
sigh.
Twitter: kadiera
says:
Argh. I am beginning to hate doctors appointments.
At least your vent clinic has both ENT and pulmo – our docs are in the same building, but don’t talk to each other at all. We switched cardiologists on the recommendation of the pulmo too, and not only can they not coordinate appointments, the cardiologist who’s now seen Alex once is *leaving* the hospital, along with the non-vent-managing pulmo, so the next cardio appt will be someone new, and we can only hope there will be no need to see the pulmo on an emergency basis, because ours is covering both his appointments and the doc who’s leaving.
The only up-side to all this: one of our best night nurses was working on a master’s degree, and is now a nurse practitioner, and left working home health to take a job with our pulmonologist. So that’s some good news.
crazy.
i also find it so helpful when our local ‘The Queen of All Scheduling’ tells me things i should just know in her opinion. so frustrating.
good luck!
so frustrating! hugs to you all! the neurosurgeon who saved my logan’s life was not a “planned provider”, so to see him for follow-ups costs us 20%, but I don’t care cuz this man saved my boy’s life! it’s so important to us mommies to keep our “team” together.
I’m keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, as always.
Twitter: therextras
says:
The Queen of All Scheduling is not the Grinch who stole your Christmas, Easter, and birthday.
Inability to coordinate among MDs and inability to see the MD you want is a major flaw with the practice of medicine. Those relationships matter to the patient outcome.
Tammy says: If I had been informed that these two doctors rotate covering this clinic I would have simply had them schedule us when Doctor A was on. No big deal.
We’ve always seen Dr. A., why would I have thought this appointment would have been any different?
When this appointment was made I even confirmed that Parker would be seeing his regular ENT and Doctor A. All my ducks were in a row. I always do this. I tend to wind up second guessing myself if I don’t confirm stuff like this.
Which doesn’t really bode well for my particular brand of crazy, iykwim.
She Who Scheduled could have helped by simply making sure this was actually so in the first place.
It was never mentioned until late last night when it was too late to do anything about it.
I’ve been this route before. It damn near cost Parker his life.
Twitter: therextras
says:
Sorry – ‘not’ was supposed to be ‘now.
She’s still a grinch in my book.
Looks like even with attention to matters of scheduling and doctors lives are at risk. ‘Tis where I can only lift mine eyes and keep trying. I know you do.
Tammy says: No worries Barbara. *smooch* We are going ahead with our plans to go up today. We’ll see the ENT, and if by some chance Doctor A can make it up from the floor we’ll see him too. If not we have an appointment on the 28th with him.
I have a 5 page handout with the important testing results and the questions we need answered. I plan on reviewing that as well as giving a copy to the ENT to hopefully pass on to Doctor A in the after clinic forum they attend.
Then at least on the 28th we won’t be walking into a cold call with Doctor A.
We also found out that Doctor will be leaving the country for a while next month, so we were lucky to get the appt. for the 28th.
The rest we will just have to go by faith and take it as it comes.
Ugh. I’m sorry.
In other news, how did your hubby fare with the eggciting assembly today?
Tammy says: My husband must really love this school. Cause I’m not so sure I would have been really keen to have had eggs cracked on my head.
Then again, I’ve been in a pretty pissy mood the last couple of weeks.
Just reading through your site and sending you encouragement. I’m sure you do it already, but default to your number 1. in unflatering gratitude : )
I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about. At our last pulmo appt, the nurse did all the vitals & stated, Dr X will be in soon. Excuse me? Who?? We’re scheduled with Dr Z. We ALWAYS see Dr Z. We didn’t even know there WAS a Dr X. GAH!!! We were stuck that day, and ended up rehashing all her med history that OUR DR Z already knows. DOUBLE GAH! Very frustrating. And when they act like it’s no big deal and you’re over-reacting? THAT’S when I start feeling stabby.
And having multiple doctors in the same room? Priceless. And (apparently) practically a thing of myths. =(
Here’s hoping your appointment goes well, in spite of all the hassles.
{{HUGS}}
Darn those scheduling people anyway. Why is it that they love to wield their power so fiercely and really never know the facts or the whole story? Sadly, I have sometimes resorted to sending cookies, or other fat laden treats, to the offices where I need to be certain to receive a bit of preferential treatment. Sometimes it works; sometimes not. I hope the appointment is scheduled for you soon. As always, sending love and prayers for sweet Parker and YOU!
The school loves him, too. He’s such a great sport!