Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2006. That day we took Mattie on a walk at one of the local nature preserves. Something we typically did every weekend, regardless of the weather. I remember this was our first and last visit to this park because it was very rocky and was more like a hike than a walk. Nonetheless, Mattie was up for the adventure!
Quote of the day: Be BOLD like a cicada-pipe the heck up. ~ Maureen Joyce Connolly
Today was quite the day. Mid-day, I went with Peter to see a gastroenterologist at the hospital where Mattie was born. As both of us now need a colonoscopy. My internist suggested I see one specialist, and Peter's internist suggested another. So we figured we would visit both doctors to determine who we liked better.
We arrived at the specialist's office and Peter signed in. What we immediately noticed was that everyone around us including the office staff was speaking Spanish. That was noteworthy since I have never experienced this before, and I see MANY MANY doctors in a year's time. While Peter was checking in, I noticed a sign on the wall that read..... NO credit cards or debit cards accepted. I literally read this sign and started to laugh and then said out loud.... would they liked to be paid in chocolate, alcohol, or clothing. The patient next to me burst out in laughter and then she (the only other English speaker in the waiting room) said to me they only want cash and who travels with that much cash?! Good point!
I should have taken a photo of the office, as the waiting room looked like the size of a coat closet. It was old, tired, and the walls behind the front desk where the staff were sitting were covered from floor to ceiling with cards. It looked totally unprofessional. Meanwhile, we waited in the office for 35 minutes, at which point Peter asked when the doctor was going to see him. The answer was, "I don't know, there are two other patients ahead of you!" NOT the answer we wanted to hear. Before this receptionist knew what hit her, both of us were on her case.
This doctor is a one man practice, FIRST problem, and clearly his staff doesn't know how to balance his appointment calendar. So instead, patients landed up sitting a LONG time. It really provided us with no confidence at all, if this is how the front of his office is run. So needless to say, we got up and left, without seeing the doctor. However, I felt awful for all the other patients waiting to be seen in the cubby hole of an office. I wanted to stick around and advocate for them, but I knew it wasn't my place to do so! Therefore one doctor down and onto the next consult. However, I have already researched a doctor at MedStar Georgetown, because as I say to Peter all the time, if I have a medical problem, one has to go to Georgetown. Sure it is filled with its own dysfunction, but the competency of the physicians are worth the hassle.
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