So, I’m nearing the end of my fun with fractures–and I am VERY grateful. I got my new walking boot and NOTHING can stop me now (well…my Frankenstein walk slows me down a smidge). All of this time sitting and waiting for the healing got me pondering my experience with medical care. I don’t get sick very often (thankfully)–so I’m not in and out of doctor’s offices very much. This past 8 weeks has been a real eye opening experience.
The word I could use to describe the entire experience is —Processed. Most of the time it felt like I was an object traveling a conveyer belt going through the factory as each line man (Dr., PA, Nurse, Tech) did their part to push me through with about as much enthusiasm as if they were handling a box of cereal.
Here’s what I learned:
Visiting the ER is never a good experience. We’ve made a few trips to the ER over the years (sick kiddo’s, etc..). I can’t imagine what it’s like to work there and never know what’s going to walk (or be wheeled) in the door next. I guess if your an optimist you can think “Oooh! It’s a fun surprise!”. I gathered from those that I encountered–that there are not any optimists that work there. Not one.
Prepare for your upcoming follow up doctor’s office visits. Whereas the ER is busy in it’s own unique way–most doctor’s offices operate at full capacity. I only met my doctor once–right before my surgery. In my follow up appointments, I met with a PA. She is very friendly, but very busy. During my first visit, I had some questions. I guess I thought she would ask me, at some point, if I did. She did not. I saw her for about 2 minutes while she inspected my incision scars and then told the nurse to remove the staples and put a new cast on. And then she was gone.
So, for my for next visit– 4 weeks later, I came prepared. When she came whisking in and did her inspection thing again–rattling off that I would get x-rays and then get a walking boot–I blurted out that I had some questions. It was like watching a cog come to a screeching halt when an obstruction has blocked it. But, to her credit, she pulled up a chair and let me ask my list of questions. She answered them (only getting a little twitchy eyed once) and then– poof–she vanished away.
Don’t visit WebMD (or other sites) during your healing process. These websites do not cover the unique situation of you. Plus, if you try to rattle off what you learned from these sites to your doctor or PA–they will not be impressed that you tried to do some research. Instead you will get a dead eye stare with lips pressed together, a deep exhale, and an impatient response to not rely on someone else’s diagnosis that has never met you and never read your file. I can personally testify that these websites only breed fear and in my case big weepy tears as I read every worst case scenario of folks with similar injuries to mine.
I’ve learned from my own experience ( and many family members and friends) that when it comes to serious injury’s and illness, you–the patient–have to be very proactive. I don’t think that it’s necessarily that most medical staff are cold and uncaring–I just think that they have a lot on their plates. The sick and injured never stop coming. So, it’s up to us to make sure that we are being treated with the respect and concern we deserve, to be prepared when we go for doctor visits, and to be respectful of their time.
As for me–I’m going to do my best to stay out of doctor’s offices for a while–the ole slip n slide is going into retirement. I think I’ll keep my dare devil activities to viewing rather than participating.
