Two weeks ago, when my back was hurting so badly, I woke up on a Friday morning (July 1) and messaged my friend (and loyal blog reader, Ann Marie) about a local doctor. I headed out, hopeful and desperate at the same time. I went to the clinic, and told them that I needed to see this particular doctor, but I'm a new patient as I've just moved to town. I then went to get something out of my car, and when I got back, after waiting a few minutes, I was told that this doctor doesn't see new clients on Fridays.
Um, okay? So I asked if there was another doctor they could recommend that DID see new patients on Fridays. She asked three different people who worked AT A DOCTOR'S OFFICE. Nope. Sorry. I could try the free clinic in Ruleville. Huh? Sick people who are new to Cleveland cannot see doctor's on Fridays? That's discrimination! Where is the ACLU when they could actually help out a situation? This is an outrage! New people have to go to doctors only on Monday-Thursday? This is all sorts of wrong.
So I call Ann Marie back (she's my go-to girl for all things Delta-related) and she directed me towards her mother-in-law, who worked across the street in a pharmacy near the hospital. She was nice enough to make a few calls and get me an appointment with another doctor, close to her pharmacy. So, lucky for my back, I have enough connections to get in front of a doctor here in Cleveland ON A FRIDAY. That's how I roll people, knocking down unfair policies and procedures everywhere I go.
This doctor was super nice and I was able to get some medicine which, unfortunately, didn't really help a whole lot, but I was just glad to have any medicine at this point. I later learned that July 1 was the beginning of the new "fiscal" year for insurance companies, and most offices were reluctant to start a new patient and have to fill out all the new paperwork or meet the new requirements. Something like that. I'm just glad I have friends in high places!
Last week, since the medicine wasn't helping, I went to another doctor-- this time, one recommended from my family doctor in Laurel. Mid-morning Wednesday I called to get an appointment, and discrimination reared its ugly head again. They only accept new patients for appointments at 1:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. And they were closed that afternoon, so I'd have to wait till the next morning. Its hard to be a new person in this town. I held my head high and politely accepted the 8:30 a.m. appointment, vowing to someday fight against this very injustice. This blog is my first step...
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