How I wasted a perfectly good Tuesday morning..

Warning: this post is completely for the sole purpose of me ranting. If you would like to continue reading, thank you, if not, then don't worry! I don't usually do this on my blog, but this time I just felt I had to.

So here we go...

Last week, after my yearly check-up appointment with the doctor, I went to the lab to do some routine blood work. Getting blood taken isn't any body's favourite thing to do I am sure, but on top of it, I am told I have very tiny veins, and it required 2 nurses to poke me to get blood out of me. I didn't faint this time, so all was somewhat good.
On Friday, my doctor called and informed me that my platelets count was low and that she needed to run some more blood tests to find out why. She asked me to please get the blood work done on Monday, and to be careful over the weekend "no roller blading or anything crazy" she said....huh?? ok...
I have always been a healthy, no medical problems type person, so I had no clue what this meant. A quick search on the internet didn't really help, and of course I wasn't looking forward to another round of poking!

Monday came and I made my way to the same clinic to get the blood work done. When I arrived, I handed in my health card, and explained the reason of my visit, I was told that "sorry, the technician called in sick today, you need to come back tomorrow". Fine.

Tuesday morning (today), back again to the clinic. I arrived around 9:30 and handed in my health card, explaining why I was here, that the doctor had requested me to come in, but that I didn't have paperwork from her. I had called earlier to make sure the lab technician was in. I waited for about 1 hour and half before they called my name. The receptionist tells me she noticed I didn't have a requisition form. I explained to her that I had already mentioned that when I first gave my card, an hour and half earlier. She tells me that there is nothing they can do without a form. I asked if they could please give me my doctor's phone number or call and ask to have the form faxed. At this point, she wasn't too impressed with me, but told me to sit down and wait to see what she could do. Another ten minutes later, she informs me that she called the office but that they didn't have a form.
I leave the clinic and decide to call the doctor myself. Of course I forgot to take our cell phone and I don't carry cash either! I have to go the store, buy a drink, get some cash back, and call at the payphone. The doctor's secretary tells me that she has the form now, but isn't sure exactly where to send it to, which fax the clinic would be using, blah blah blah ... she says it would be easier to just come to the office. To make things simple, I tell her I am on my way. There is a lab in the same building as the office, so off I go.
The medical building where my doctor is has a paying parking lot. I have about 3 dollars change left with me. I know that the first hour of parking is 2 dollars, every 15 minutes after that costs 25 cents. I make my way to the doctor's office and have to wait for my turn about 20 minutes to speak to the secretary. I know, sounds weird, but that's how they work. She hands me the requisition form. I ask where the lab is and she tells me it is at the walk in clinic downstairs. I am actually happy and thinking that this is almost over!!
I have to take a number at the clinic and wait to just give my health card and explain why I am here. Another 15 minutes goes by. When it is my turn, I am told that the lab is across the pharmacy. Fine, I make my way there, take another number and wait. There is at least 10 people before me. I wait another 15 minutes and realize that I probably won't have enough cash to pay for parking if I sit here until my turn. So I leave, and decide to make my way back to the first clinic.
Another twenty minutes later, I am back at the original clinic, proudly giving my piece of paper to the receptionist. I wait another 30 minutes or so, and finally I am called in. I honestly felt happy going in the little room to get my blood taken! The girl looks at me with one of those funny looks and starts talking..."I am so sorry, I can't do all this blood work on you right now. You can choose to do part of it now, but the other part you will need to come back. The one blood test requires to be sent right away to the lab, within the hour and my driver is already gone. He won't come back until 3 today....You can come back tomorrow between 10 and 11 am, or in the afternoon around 2:30". My face just drops! I can't make it later in the afternoon, even though it's close to 1pm by then, because my husband has to work and needs the car. She looks at my chart and notices the 9:35 am, and asks me if I have been waiting all this time. I tell her my sad story and she feels even worse...

So there is my wasted Tuesday morning..............GRRRRRR !

Guess what I am doing tomorrow morning?