http://picasaweb.google.com/tiff.glassman/August2008?authkey=xdcrPa1X9BY
and the videos... we have more but are having trouble getting them uploaded...
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And now, the story.
This story begins about six months ago. At Naomi's two-month well baby checkup, our fantastic pediatrician Dr. Sergis hears a heart murmur. We are concerned, of course, but not worried. Baby books say that lots of babies can have murmurs for a lot of different reasons. We gotta check it, but it's not worth freaking out.
So we make the appointment with the cardiologist... for six weeks later. When we finally see Dr. W -- and let's just call him that -- his tech performs an echo and we get the story. She has a PDA and an ASD. Both are relatively common problems and are likely to go away on their own, he says. We'll keep an eye on them and if they don't close in the next several years -- years! -- we'll repair them surgically then.
Fair enough. So each month, Naomi goes back to Dr. W, and we get the same answer. Keep an eye, likely take care of themselves, maybe surgery in a few years.
In the meantime, Dr. W's office becomes increasingly difficult to deal with. The office isn't computerized in any way -- even appointments are kept with pen and paper. This meant that because we were seeing him in his satellite office in Torrance rather than his main office in Long Beach, we could not schedule the next appointment at the front desk. We had to go home and call the office. Which is difficult to remember when you have baby brain. Annoying.
Then, say you actually remember to make an appointment but need to change it. Well, they don't always remember to delete the old appointment. And then they charge you $50 because you missed the appointment. THAT YOU HAD ALREADY CALLED TO CANCEL.
Also, check out this story... they don't accept checks for the co-pay, only cash. And they don't have $5 bills. So I give the receptionist a $20 and she writes me a receipt saying they owe me $5 next time. Fair enough. Cut to a month later. A few days before the appointment, I get a bill from the office for $2.07 -- the remainder that wasn't covered by the insurance. OK, put it aside to pay when I pay the bills in a few days. Two days later I go to the appointment. I take out my $5 credit. Receptionist #1 -- THE ONE WHO WROTE THE RECEIPT IN THE FIRST PLACE -- looks at me like I'm speaking Aramaic: "What do you mean we owe you $5?" Meanwhile, receptionist #2 is looking at me and the books skeptically and says, "It says here he has an outstanding bill. Better make sure he doesn't have a hold on his account." I say, "A hold -- outstanding -- wait, you mean that bill for $2.07 I got two days ago?" She says, "That's right. You owe us money. We have to check to see if you have a hold on your account." "But I got that two days ago." Long pause. "Right -- no hold. Yet." I say, "Would you like me to pay you the $2.07 right now so there's no confusion?" She says, "I can't take it here -- it has to go to the office in Long Beach." I walk out angry and even more frustrated.
So enough of these things happen and Tiffany and I decide that regardless of Dr. W's talent as a cardiologist -- and I hear he's good -- we simply can't deal with his office anymore and we need another doctor. We get the name but there's one delay and another -- remember, this is just something we have to keep an eye on for years, according to Dr. W -- and it's a couple of months before we take Naomi to see Dr. Atkinson.
Who sees something else. And three weeks later, Naomi has heart surgery.
To be continued...
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