Zapped!

I drove directly from class to the medical center for the nerve conduction test, arriving 20 minutes early as requested. The greeter challenged my scheduled appointment, informing me that she couldn't find me on the computer. I gently suggested that she check for correct spelling, the appointment time, and then recall that it was she who called me late yesterday afternoon to confirm the appointment and provide me with the new address as the office moved over the past weekend.

Ah-ha, that did the trick. I was given the clipboard filled with a dozen different forms to fill in and sign, but I refused to sign the one that warned me that if I did not cancel an appointment at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled time, I would be charged a nominal fee ($50) for the inconvenience caused to the medical staff of this facility.

I wrote my comment: Until and unless the medical facility personnel will treat me likewise, I refuse to sign this document. My time is as valuable to me as your booking schedule is to you; therefore, if you cancel my appointment and do not provide me with at least 24 hours' notice, I will expect payment from you for the inconvenience caused to me by the medical staff of this facility.

They don't ever read all those papers, so it only made me feel better, but whatever.

Moving on to the actual appointment, the med tech who administered it was great! He began by asking me to tell him what has led to today's test: that has NEVER happened to me prior to today. I told him about the sudden swelling last May, the visit with my primary, the bone x-rays, the referral to the hand specialist that turned out to be a knee specialist, and the MRI last week.

I told him that it is my opinion that the bone x-rays of my neck, arm, and cervical spine, as well as the MRI and the test he was to perform today are all a waste of time, money, and use of equipment. I explained that there is "something" in my wrist that swells when I use my hand, appears to affect the circulation in the area, impedes usage, as well as hurts like screaming hell.

I showed him my hand and he actually looked at it and he commented that there appears to be a "lump" in the wrist area that could be involved in the symptomology, but the test he would conduct would not deal with that symptom. I added that because I have no symptoms whatsoever of a pinched or impinged nerve in my neck, cervical spine, or shoulder, I'm not sure why those are the areas being explored for cause, rather than my hand, which, so far, is not part of the diagnostic process.

He conducted all the diagnostic testing requested by the knee specialist, which didn't reveal anything other than healthy nerves and muscles. Then, he asked me if he could use an ultrasound to look at the swelling in my wrist, to which I agreed. He told me that he really couldn't see what's causing it, but he suggests that when I have the follow-up with the knee specialist, I should make sure he actually looks at this particular part of my anatomy because there is "something" there that could be causing my problem with my left hand.

"Will do," I replied, "IF I actually get to see a doctor."

So far, I've seen PAs and techs, but no doctor. I'm not sure who you have to be or how much the insurance costs to be seen by an actual medical doctor, but I'm not far enough up the food chain to be included.

To be continued after the follow-up with the knee specialist Sept 10 -- if the appointment isn't rescheduled again. It's already been changed twice, but hey, no problemo. My calendar is wide open, so I can go with the flow ... as long as I don't change or cancel the appointment, which would inconvenience the medical personnel, and that's what it's all about.