I have been working at my job for 10 years now. Little things I have learned is to check the office once a week during the summer to make sure everything stays the way it is suppose to and handle any emergency information the registrar may need. So, After the chest cold, I went in just before my doctor appointment (July) to make sure that the waxing done in the office did not end up with the copier messed up or desks in the wrong place. I did my cursory inspection. I noticed the copier needed paper. When I went to retrieve the paper from the storage area, I almost fell over. The whole area had broken out in black mold and it was sliding down the walls. (EWWWW!) I immediately called my direct supervisor who called the assistant principal. They all just happened to be coming in that day to take of some paperwork. The AP looked at the room and called in a report to the district office.
I did tell the doctor of the mold break out at my first appointment. At my second appointment, he gave me a script to get an Air Quality report. He did feel that environmental concerns were pressing enough to request this. (As of today, I have not gotten a copy of this report.)
I started the school year off keeping my office closed off from the rest due to the mold. The paper was moved to another area until the room could be cleaned. The principal paid for a desk top air purifier to help me. The room was cleaned in September. Of course the air quality testing was done after the room was cleaned.
Before I went to the UM specialist, I started a claim with Worker’s Comp. This at the advice of several co-workers. Everyone felt that since I have been the only employee in that office for the last 10 years, it would reason that maybe my health condition was related to the mold break out. I did go to urgent care and it was confirmed that I do have a breathing problem (no kidding!). Worker’s comp(WC) has continued to work with me. Since there may or may not be a link to the mold, WC made an appointment for me to see their pulmonologist during winter break.
Getting back to my UM appointment. It was at the beginning of December. That morning it was raining. I took a bus and then the metro rail. It is just too much to drive down town and then pay for expensive parking. The rail stop is only two blocks from the office. Besides, it is always nice when someone else drives. I went to see a specialist in the Cardiovascular and Critical Care unit on the second floor. The nurse was really nice, but had a hard time finding my pulse and blood pressure. I was taken to a room to lay down and then the vitals were taken again. The Doctor came in next. He listened to my details, read the copies and looked at the dvd from the CT scan. During this time, an appointment person poked their head in and asked the doctor if he would take a late appointment. He said no. That impressed me, although I did feel a little for the person. The rain had been relentless all morning. Even the metro rail had stopped for about 5 minutes on the track due to the rain.
We talked about my medical history with asthma, arthritis, family history, etc. After a decent amount of time, he pronounced that he thought I did not have the terminal type of fibrosis. I did have fibrosis, there was no doubting that. He did state that he considered it to be a connective tissue disorder (auto immune problem) or related to rheumatoid arthritis. He wanted me to get an echocardiogram, esophageal fluoroscopy and more blood work done. Since I was passed the beginning phase and in moderate damage to my lungs, he requested that I see another doctor at UM for arthritis and would like to see me back in about 6 weeks. So, I spent the next 45 minutes with the check out person who helped me set up all the appointments, including the echo and floro. The appointment for the doctor was to be in the middle of January and the other specialist didn’t have anything available until the middle of February.
The WC nurse and private contractor came in to do another air quality report since no one can seem to get a hold of EEG (who did the original in September) or a copy of the report. That was done the week before winter break. I had my appointment with UM doctor through WC last week. He stated he also believes my fibrosis to be auto immune disorder related. His nurse also had a hard time finding my pulse. (Seems to be a recurring theme here.)
Getting back to the echo and floro. The UM calls me the day before the testing to let me know that the fluoroscopy was not covered by the insurance, the doctor had written an incorrect diagnosis and the echocardiogram was doing to be over $400 and how would I like to pay that. I asked if I could be put on a payment plan. I was promptly and rudely told no. The hospital does not do payment plans. All I could think of was “LIAR!”. I told the person I could pay $25 now and then when taxes came in, the balance would be paid. Again she said no. I told her to cancel my appointments then and hung up. I sat there and cried in frustration. I know for a fact that UM has payment plans. I spoke to someone at church the Sunday before and they shared that information with me. I called the UM doctor specialist office and spoke to a lovely young lady. I informed her what had happened and asked her to please make sure my appointments were cancelled. She said she would have to transfer me back to admitting. I told her no, that I had already spoken to admitting and that they were not nice nor helpful. She asked what she could do. I was about to tell her that she could inform everyone where to go….I took a deep breath and wished her a Merry Christmas instead. She gasped. I know she was expecting me to cuss her out. I was the one frustrated, it was not her fault. She wished me a Merry Christmas and told me she would call and make sure the appointments were cancelled. I was so frustrated when I got home, I yelled at everyone, stomped upstairs to do oxygen and cried some more. (Please understand that crying is the way that I relieve stress.)
I understand the doctor wanting everything done at UM. Anything processed there gets added my electronic chart automatically so that nothing has to be uploaded, downloaded or anything of that sort when it comes to extra labs. Out of my frustration, I called the radiology lab that had done my CT. The appointment lady stated that yes, they did the two extra procedures there. Then I called the insurance to make sure that the procedures were covered for less than $400 if I chose that place. It was to be $100 only co-pay. Done deal.
I made the appointments and went. I had a friend drop me off and pick me up. I am so glad I did. I had to fast for the floro. She picked me up after and we went to lunch. She politely informed me that I was walking sideways. I am sure that fasting and then drinking sugared radiated chalk for the floro did not help me at all. After lunch I was walking straight and felt a lot better. The doctor at UM will just have to deal with scanning and uploading the reports to my chart.
Then the battery on the car died. I had to deal with that…Do I repair the car or get rid of it and go in debt even more for a newer car? A friend of my husband’s, we call him Uncle Frank, came over and helped determine that it was only the battery. So, the money to pay the radiology lab now went to a new car battery. God will just have to provide the money for the medical bill.
The WC doctor wanted a hypersensitivity test on me just to make sure that there are no environmental factors involved with my case. So, I went to the labs at Quest. Please understand that I like Quest. But, Hialeah is its own unique kind of place where the rules of procedure and customer service do not apply. The people at Quest informed me that the doctor had not specified which test. I looked at the script and stated that it was the one regarding pneumonitis. She stated that was the diagnosis, not the actual test. She then informed me that they had called the doctor office and that the nurse would not be back until one. I could wait until then if I wanted. (Really?) It was 11:15 am at that time. I looked at them like they were crazy. I asked if they could leave a message and deal with the doctor themselves. I got a blank stare. I was asked again if I wanted to wait. I told them no, took the script back and went shoe shopping.
I found two pairs of shoes, but the outlet I was shopping at would not work with me about their BOGO sale. So, I left there empty handed. I was going shopping for shoes and dinner the next day with a really close friend anyway. They could just keep their shoes and stupid rules. I don’t know why I go to that outlet. I always leave there mad.
After 1, I called the nurse who was very pleasant and asked her to please fax in the ICD code for the lab that the doctor wanted. She had no problem helping with that. I went back the next day and got the panel done.
What I have observed over the last six months with dealing with the labs and doctors is that something is inevitably missing from the orders when given. Is that the doctor’s fault, nurses or secretary? Not really sure… I do feel that it is the pressure by insurance companies to railroad everyone to the cheapest facilities possible. Also, the doctors are under the pressure to do extra testing before making a diagnosis. As of today I have had three ANA testings with rheumatoid factors. They have all been similar. Why do this test so many times when the first one said URGENT! under the results. Why didn’t the first pulmonologist say anything about LUPUS to me? Why was it my primary to who talked to me about that result? Obviously he suspected something with URGENT written on the lab report. Also, why am I responsible to do the secretary’s job? I should not have had to do the leg work and provide the copies for each time. I just think that it is a poor refection on our health system. If I had the money or a better policy, people would have been falling over themselves to help.
So, now I am waiting on the results from the radiology lab. I will probably go next week to pick up a paper copy (I am keeping a copy of everything for myself!!! Just in case.). Having the blood work done at Quest, I will get an email when that lab is complete and the report ready. I can log in and print it out. I was told that the panel is sent away to GA for testing. So, it will take about two weeks. I should have it in time to see the doctor at UM in the middle of January.
School starts on the 4th and so I return to work. It should be interesting to see just how busy the office is that morning. I predict it will be pretty busy. A lot of people move in and out of Hialeah during winter break. There also always seems to be a rush to get copies of IEPs for Social Security. I have a procedure for that now, so the rush is not such an interrupter to my work flow.
I will say that I did not do well last night. Even with the oxygen, I coughed for at least an hour around midnight. I think the stress with my sister dealing with a death and me not being able to run to her to help caused the extra coughing.
In the mean time, I will keep waiting for that next steroid shot. I would really like to stop feeling like I am breathing through a wet sponge, even if it is only a temporary solution.
January – dentist and pulmonologist at UM
February – rheumatoid specialist at UM
Let’s see what this year brings. Closing thought… If some secretary or office staff treats you right or nice. Let the boss know. All the bosses ever hear about is how bad an employee is. I have made it a point since July to write letters to each doctor I have dealt with and let them know when a particular employee or group of employees have gone out of their way to help me. I have decided to put my tears of frustration into praises. May they make a difference.
