Another Medical Rant

What the f--k is wrong with these friggin' people?!

What "people," you ask? My sleep guy... my sleep guy's office... this massive friggin' medical practice...

(*GNASHING MY TEETH*)

OK. Background...

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Last month I got my CPAP.

I like the doc...

I can handle the CPAP...

But here's the thing: Apparently the pressure is too high. This is a new phenomenon. As I say, I got the CPAP about a month ago and last week I saw the doc for a post-usage visit. ($50 copay.) Basically this entailed giving the doc the memory stick from the unit so he could read and analyze it at his leisure. (Which he did; and then he called me on the phone and told me I needed to be wearing it more often than I'd been or else I'd have a problem with my insurance provider.)

ANYWAY...

I'm not sure if he adjusted the air flow pressure (via wi-fi) after this conversation or whether my increased usage has simply made me more aware of a pre-existing "over-pressurization," but in any event what happens is that after I've slept for awhile I'll wake up (in the middle of the night; often several times throughout the night) with the damn pressure so high as to literally blow the damn mask "off" my face - meaning violate the seal of the mask. Thus... I have to adjust the mask... and adjust and adjust and adjust... during these episodes so as to temporarily "relive" the air leak and re-seat the mask properly... properly until it happens again.

SO...

(*GRITTING MY TEETH*)

Yesterday... while in Rockland (where the doc's office is) I actually stopped in to report the problem in person. The doc wasn't in... so I left a note.

SO...

No observed change last night. Same problem.

SO...

Today I called the practice. I got the friggin' voicemail. 

(*ROLLING MY EYES*)

I got a call-back...

I was told that the doc was on hospital rotation... that he'd be on hospital rotation (ICU) till Thursday... BUT... that on Thursday they'd make sure he got my note.

(*HEADACHE*)

The telephone HAS been invented... right? Voicemail... texts... emails... they all EXIST, don't they?

To paraphrase the tagline from the '70's "Six Million Dollar Man," "WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY," don't we - the technology to REACH the doctor and DELIVER the message?

A*P*P*A*R*A*N*T*L*Y...

 N*O*T...!!!

Apparently the doc is "incommunicado." My piddling little problem apparently isn't important enough to be brought to his attention. "Big deal," right; so... I have to go through AT LEAST two more nights of this crap...

(*SLAMMING MY FIST ON THE DESK*)

ARE... THESE... PEOPLE... FRIGGIN'... CRAZY...?!?!

CALL THE FRIGGIN' DOC! (Or email him!) Get permission to LOWER THE FRIGGIN' AIR PRESSURE!

Folks... I'm not an unreasonable guy! I "get" that there may be some medical reason I'm not aware of that will result in the doc telling me, "Bill, I wanna keep the pressure where it is for awhile; give you a chance to get used to it."

FINE! I could ACCEPT THAT!

But, no... I'm being told by staff that they WON'T contact the doc and inform him of my "problem." 

Basically... I'm being told to "F" off.

I don't like being told to "F" off - especially when I'm PAYING for my care! I'm PAYING my insurance premiums! I'm PAYING my copays!

So... none of his colleagues - partners - can take a look at my note and act in "my" doc's stead? (It's a LARGE practice! I do believe well over a dozen doctors - not to mention nurse practitioners!)

Folks... I'm not a happy camper. AND... the doc is gonna hear about it!