Well, What a Lousy Afternoon

Today I was needed to drive my mother to see a new doctor. She didn't want to try to find the place. So why did she think that I would want to venture forth? Anyway, her appointment was for 2:30 in Salem. She told me it was at the Northshore Medical Center and that she had the directions from the secretary at the doctor's office. Okie-dokie. I googled a map and headed over to mom's place. Noting to my mother that the area would be a confusion of medical offices, I asked her for the exact address. She didn't have it. She said that she had been told just to head for Salem Hospital.

"What's the doctor's name?" I asked.

She didn't know. I saw trouble ahead.

"How are you going to know where to go? Where I should park? This will be a big area, mom!"

"I'll just ask someone, " she said.

Oh boy. Heading out of town, to a doctor whose name you don't know, at an unknown location.

In the car, I had a thought. She had called the office when trying to set up the appointment. Just get the cell phone out and call the office for more specifics. Nope, she didn't bring the phone number.

It was an uneventful drive to the Salem Hospital complex, but where to park? I aimed for an area near what appeared to be more office-y rather than hospital. We walked to the entrance and found mostly closed office doors. No names, nothing. We finally found an open door and my mom went in to see where she should be.

Just imagine the dialog. No doctor name. The lady referred her to the surgical reception area. A relatively short walk. Mom went in and talked to the receptionist and they told her that she needed to be in a building at the other end of the complex. They had called over and found which doctor was expecting her. Yay!

We walked and found the building. The doctor's names were listed next to the elevator doors.

"Did you find out the name from the last person you talked to?"

"Oh. No."

So we went in to the first office we came to and she went through the dialog again. We were sent to the third floor and finally connected with the correct office. Thankfully she was called right in and spent no more than ten minutes talking to the doctor, who told her that he didn't think she would need any tests other than some blood work. Off to find the lab in the hospital.

Got to the lab to find two large signs saying that you had to sign in with the receptionist before entering. Sheesh, where was the receptionist? In the opposite direction from the entrance, of course! Signed in with the receptionist and sat and waited. Mom was called to a little cubicle to answer questions. I could hear from where I was seated. She couldn't remember her mother's maiden name, so I went and sat with her to help with the answers. Then the woman asked for her PCP's name. A glitch. There are two doctors with the same name.

"Is his middle initial H or M?" she asked.

Now, who knows that information! We certainly didn't. I couldn't believe that this may prevent having a blood test!

Mom was finally cleared to head to the lab with her paperwork. She had to sign in there and we waited some more. By that time it was shift change. Sigh.

When we left the hospital area it was 4 p.m. We had left the house to start on this odd trip at 1:10 p.m.!

And to top it all off, she could have made the appointment at a closer location! One that she knew how to get to!

I started a new book during my waiting room stays. It's called, At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream.

I'm not happy. Of course it's been a while anyway.