Visiting The Doctors' Office

This morning I had a scheduled appointment with my cardiologist at 7:45. Tuesday the doctors’ office automatic calling system called to remind me of my appointment, which they said was at 7:30.

Later that evening I was complaining to Anna that I made my appointment at 7:45 and they called to remind me of my appointment at 7:30…??. Anna said, “They don’t know you very well, do they?” Meaning that I always arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of when I am supposed to be there.

I arrived about 7:15. I ran into unforeseen traffic problems.

As I mentioned before the cardiologist group takes the whole 3rd floor of the building. Also, I mentioned that they have a young lady stationed by the elevator to politely with a big smile ask you where you are going, then, she can direct you. She doesn’t get there until 7:30.

In the meantime, until she got there, the lady at the front counter to take people as they sign the sheet had double duty. Not only did she have to make sure their insurance papers were up to date, when she heard the elevator “ding” she had to run around the counter, going through two doors, and run to the elevator and be there smiling when the door opened to greet the people and direct them to their destination.

Who ever is in charge must have insisted that the people getting off the elevator must be greeted and directed.

The young lady in her early 20’s that normally does the greeting job was running late. She came in at 7:35, said a few words of explanation to the lady running herself raggedy trying to do two jobs, then disappeared behind a door to spruce up so the lady still had to do two jobs.

In a few minutes she emerged with a red blazer on that is her official uniform, and a plastic notebook under her arm. I think in the notebooks she can pull out a map of the 3rd floor and show people how to get to where they are going. She probably has an index with all the doctors, nurses, and others to look up quickly probably sorted by first name and last name, so she can quickly look someone up to route the inquirer where to go, along with their own map that she pointed out things on it. Before going out in front the elevator she quickly looked over the magazines on the several tables selected one and put into her portfolio looking notebook. It gets boring out there in front of the elevator.

The nurse called me in. She is a black lady, very pleasant and as she asked me various questions as she hooked me up to an E.K.G. (I think) by wires and strong tape strips (it felt like). After she got the readings she wanted and it printed out in graft form she begin pulling off the E.K.G. strips… slowly… pulling my chest hairs out by their roots slowly. Then, I remembered, a few months ago I complained to her boss for her not returning my telephone calls….. hairs being pulled out slowly….she kept her pleasant smile during the whole ordeal.

After the doctor went over everything he told me it was about time for another nuclear stress test. Without any handing me any paperwork, on his electronic notebook he signaled the checkout people to schedule me a stress test. Modern marvels!

I went up front to check out and the lady told me the stress test girl would like to go over a few things with me and schedule me the test, and just have a seat and she will be with me soon.

I found a seat that I could keep an eye on the counter as well as the elevator greeter girl. I remembered in the past months I have seen the elevator door greeter girl imitate Judy Garland dancing and another time an airplane looking trying to land.

Today she was a toy soldier marching, taking high stiff steps, with a make believe rifle and when she got to the end, she would stop, to an “ about face” and stiffly walk the opposite direction. When the elevator “dinged” she would suddenly stop and be ready with a smile when the door opened. You got to give her credit, she is making her job interesting.

If I had anything to say about it, I think I would get a plush desk out front for her to sit behind. A dancing receptionist?

After sitting for about 20 minutes I was beginning to wonder if I fell through a crack, or forgotten about. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Then, a little scrawny man came out and was checking out and the lady at the counter told him he needed to see blablabla about a test, she would call her to come down and get him… which she did, and in minutes a lady materialized and she and the little scrawny man walked away talking. About ten minutes they came back and he checked out.

I was getting irritated. I have been overlooked I thought. I walked up to the counter and asked if I have been forgotten – I have been setting there about 45 minutes. She made a call and soon a little red headed lady emerged and took me back in another direction than the little scrawny guy and another woman went. Maybe I jumped the gun.

The nice little red head went over what I could and could not take the morning of the stress test…. And I left. When I left the elevator door greeter was not there to say “bye” – surely that is in her job description, not only to greet when they arrive but to say “bye” when they leave. She was probably on break.