I guess the joke is on me. But I don’t find it very funny.
Caleb has his annual plastic surgeon appointment today. Or rather, was supposed to have his annual plastic surgeon appointment today. But apparently his doctor decided to take the day off and nobody was able to get a hold of me.
Wait. Let’s step back to a half hour before I was standing at the window of our plastic surgeon’s appointment listening to the reception get sort of snotty with me because she “tried to get a hold of you several times.” A half hour before I wanted to rip every last hair out of her head because I left work early and exceeded the speed limit on the interstate just to get my kid to this appointment that wasn’t.
I had forgotten that Caleb had his appointment today until I was already nestled under my covers ready to saw logs in bed last night. I thought about getting up to put a note in his bag so his teacher would know I would be picking him up rather than letting him ride the bus home. But that would have required actual effort, of which I wasn’t willing to exert.
So instead I called the school this morning to let them know. This meant that none of the kids knew I would be at the school that afternoon. It also meant that none of them knew Caleb wouldn’t be riding the bus.
I got to the school at 3:15 on the dot and Caleb was already sitting in the hallway waiting for me. I scooped him up (and by scooped him up I mean I hollered, “Caleb, let’s go” in his general direction) and started to head back out the door. I was stopped by the afternoon monitor who told me that another one of my children (Spencer) was in the office because he saw Caleb waiting for pick up and thought maybe he was getting picked up too. I also ran in to Skyler’s teacher who said, “I put Skyler on the bus. Was she supposed to go home with you?”
Chaos I tell you. It was at that moment that I decided from this point on I am no longer scheduling doctor appointments after school. From now on I’m just going to pull them right out of school in the middle of the day. Yes, they’ll miss some schoolwork. But it will be easier on me. And it’s really all about me anyway. [If I have to put a smiley face here for you to realize I am, of course, kidding then you really haven't been reading my slice of sarcasm for very long.]
I tried to politely finish the conversation with Skyler’s teacher (Yes, she LOVES school. I’m so glad to hear she’s a model student.) while trying to make my way down the hall to the office. Just what I need is to leave one kid at school all night long. As I got almost to the office I saw Spencer and his teacher enter the hallway. She was getting ready to walk him to the bus since the office didn’t have any notice about Spencer getting picked up. I told her I’d go ahead and take him. The appointment wouldn’t last that long (if only I knew just how true that statement would be).
By this point it was already 3:30. Caleb’s appointment was at 3:45. And we still had to walk to the car, drive across town, find a parking spot and book it to the doctor’s office. We were running late. [Which, as you know, is very familiar territory for me, but I still hate to be late nonetheless.]
By some miracle we actually made it to the doctor’s office on time. We strolled in. I admit I had a little bit of a cocky smile on my face. I’m not late. I laugh at late. I’m right on time.
And here we are back to the woman in the window, sitting behind an appointment book with a big red “X” through the day and a note that said “Doctor Out.” There was just one lonely name on the page. Caleb’s.
According to the receptionist she tried to call me several times to change his appointment. She even confirmed my home number. I couldn’t really say anything because I am really (really, really) bad about checking my home voicemail. I figured there was probably a message on there that I had complete ignored so I didn’t want to get all up in her grill if it was truly my fault.
We rescheduled the appointment and the kids and I were on our way.
On our way home I called our voicemail to hear the message. There were eight messages from as far back as last Wednesday. [On a side note, how sad is it that I don't check our voicemail for over a week and all we have is 8 messages. How unpopular are we?] But none of those 8 messages was from this doctor’s office.
When we got home I checked the caller ID. It goes all the way back to August 19th. And there is not a single call from this doctor’s office. That bitch did not call me. She let me leave work early. Practically leave my kid at school all by himself over night. Make me almost late for this appointment that didn’t even exist. All for nothing.
Next time I’m checking my voicemail right there in the office so I don’t miss another opportunity to point out when somebody else is wrong and I am indeed right.
Wow - how rude to make you think you were negligent for not getting her call! I think you should notify the office that you have no record of them calling to reschedule and let them know that you are not pleased (in a polite but firm way!). And, let the doc know when you see him. Your time is just as important as the doctor’s time and if you didn’t show up for a scheduled appt (or reschedule) they would charge you for the visit - maybe you should try charging them (or not paying the next visit)!!
Mom
Yeah. What Mom said. I’m mad for you!!
Lis Garretts last blog post..What’s In It For You?
Uhm. My head is spinning just thinking about that. I wonder why the receptionist couldn’t have left you a message??
Shannanb aka Mommy Bitss last blog post..Sometimes You Just Can’t Stop Yourself From Yourself
How rude! I love those thoughts you get after the fact. What you SHOULDA or COULDA done. Just wish they would come a little faster….
cindys last blog post..An alcoholic in the making
You may only have 8 messages because people have learned it is pointless to leave them.
It may even just be possible that she didn’t bother calling because she’s aware you don’t check your messages.
Though you should complain anyway. How hard would it have been for her to cover her ass by leaving the pointless message? She could have had the satisfaction of knowing you went home, found the message and felt useless. She would have liked that.
I’m not exactly sure how a receptionist at a doctor’s office we visit for 15 minutes once a year would know I don’t check my voicemail more than once a week. Especially since I didn’t even recognize that receptionist so she obviously hasn’t been there very long. But ok?!? Additionally, if the receptionist is all about playing games with the doctor’s patients, a well respected plastic surgeon in our community who is the head of our city’s Cleft Lip and Palate Team, then she likely won’t be there when we go back for our rescheduled appointment next month. $8 an hour receptionist who are total bitches to patients can be easily replaced.
I should also mention that this doctor’s office is notorious for not calling to confirm appointments either. All of our other doctor’s offices call 1 or 2 days in advance to confirm (and I usually see their number on the caller ID which I do check every day so I remember the appointment). This office never does. It’s a miracle I remember we’ve even scheduled these appointments each year since we schedule them a year in advance.