As I was hanging on a counter that was almost chest high, waiting to be checked out from the gynecologist I had just seen, nothing at all was happening. Suddenly, the tiny little, young woman officiously crossed the room, ending up catered cornered near me. She shuffled through what appeared to be mail.
Then, she straightened up and declared loudly O M G. Yes, she said the letters, looked around to see who heard and left the way she came. When someone questioned her, she held that information and just shrieked L O L. Yes, she said the letters. SHE SAID LETTERS INSTEAD OF WORDS! She did not even laugh.
How does this happen? At least she could still utter the sounds of letters. She did not chatter out sounds like a keyboard. I wondered if she could actually say words like the rest of us. I also wondered what job in a doctor's office could she fill? She was a grown woman, not a teen. Is this the future? I hope I don't forget how to talk. I would miss talking, just saying letters.
To be honest, I have heard people say things like, "OMG, this is important." However, in these instances, the person was just including the letters in a silly conversation, not in a professional work setting. Am I getting old?
That distraction caused me to not focus on excruciating back pain. I am so easily distracted from back pain until enough is enough.
When I first came in to sign in, I told the receptionist I had the flu and would she rather I sat somewhere besides in a room of pregnant women. She instructed me to fill out two forms and she would see. I filled out the forms and took them back to her. She told me to sit down, wait my turn. I repeated the question, saying maybe I needed to be in a room elsewhere. Another person said I could wear one of the masks I did not see by the door. I remarked that I could not breath with one of those. They could see I was struggling to breathe, anyway. The idiot who called the back said I wanted a room because I was sick with flu and could not breathe. That's NOT what I said.
Otherwise, the doctor and his nurses were the tops. I also had a bone-density test while I was there. This was something the doctor mentioned two years ago, but neither of us followed up on it. He had a nurse arrange it in a hurry today so I would not have to drive the 45 miles back to his office for the test.
This yeast infection was so horrid, he was shocked, gave me two weeks of tablets and two ointment prescriptions. Since I did not have the money to pay for the ointments, I had to leave them at the pharmacy. I almost cried.Oh, AGONY. I am suffering!
Your turn
Is the wave of the future speaking letters instead of the words they stand for? Would you hope that a receptionist would get an ill woman out of the pregnant women's waiting room? Have you ever had to leave a prescription behind because you could not afford it?
Letters instead of words in a professional setting? I'd pretend not to know and mention it to the doctor. Unless, of course, she used OMG in order not to offend someone by using the word God out loud. She's not texting so what's the point - words instead of letters don't use up anything - except maybe brain power.
ReplyDeleteDon't know why staff would not have seated you elsewhere - surely there was someplace like a exam room. Years ago when my kids were little, their pediatrician tried to set up a 'sick kids' waiting room. Didn't work, no space, but he or his nurse would go out to the car in the parking lot to check on those who were the sickest - the flu, measles, chix pox. Very thoughtful on his part.
I've never had to leave a prescription behind due to finances because my doctors have always been accommodating and provided me with free samples. Now I always ask if samples are available. At my Walmart the pharmacist will divide the number of pills, if possible & with doctor's permission, to make them more affordable. Lots of people do it that way so filling the prescription corresponds to their SS/pension checks.
Do hope you fill better soon. And have you notified the doctor you cannot afford the prescription? Maybe there is another less expensive drug he can prescribe.
OMG can just as easily be oh my gosh. I would say gosh instead of god. I don't speak that way but it is not out of hopes not to offend.
DeleteI was t the pharmacy when I discovered the outrageous cost. He had no sample creams because I did ask. There is lesser cream, but this is strong because what I have needs it.
Since I did not have any money, even getting pills divided was not an option.
I have used O.M.G. out loud precisely not to take the Lord's name in vain... not that that stops me when I'm mad, mind you, but I try to avoid it in polite conversation.
ReplyDeleteWhat's really interesting is I've heard people use the term "lol"... not spelling out the letters, but pronouncing it as if it were a word.
John,
DeleteIt seems that g instead of god makes no difference since your intent is just veiled just a bit. Oh my, pronouncing "lol" as a word? I wonder if school teachers are trying to beat this out of their students yet. Tht is just weird. Thanks for that.
What kind of health system makes disabled patients PAY for medication? Ridiculous. In Scotland NOBODY pays for their prescription medicines, NOBODY!.
ReplyDeleteIn England, around 80% get their meds for free, the 20% who have to pay are those over 16 and under 60, provided they are working and earning a minimum wage.
It's called a National Health Service, brought about by Clement Attlee in the second half of 1940, and although it has it's faults it's a million times better than the USA's system, as far as I understand it.
PhilipH-You are so right. MY bestie is from England and she is shocked at the price of coverage and how poor the treatment is. If you don't pay for the more expensive programs, they won't treat you. I had a doctor tell me that he lost money on patients with my coverage and that he would give me a prescription for antidepressants but I wasn't there for depression, I was there for food allergies. The thing that people outside of the US don't know is that they are refusing to treat people. One man sat in a chair for 10 hrs and he died at the hospital that we are forced to use. And we are forced by the government to pay for it even though they know that we aren't allowed to use it. It cost us $90 a week and that doesn't include having to pay for doctor visits and meds. And the super scary part is my hubs company is paying 90% of the insurance bill and we are only paying 10%. And that is for the worst plan/cheapest plan. If we upgraded, we would have to pay 20% of the entire bill. A car accident would bankrupt us.
DeleteOK you can see that this topic makes me mad.
Maybe I could move to UK since it seems easier to stay alive.
DeleteI really hope that this is the end of your problems for this year. You have been through enough, my friend.
ReplyDeleteSonya, Thanks. I have had enough.
DeleteI'm so sorry for your misery. ;-(
ReplyDeleteCherdo,
DeleteThanks! Me Toooo!
I'm so sorry you're having this yeast problem. Peggy used to get them bad, but is down to about one every three years now.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush,
DeleteThis is the worst I have ever had. I rarely get them!