I Really Don't Like People

Have we really become so overwhelmed with ourselves that we no longer have time to be kind to our fellow man?

I have been a little under the weather for the last couple of days, and it reached its pinnacle today when I was so weak I could barely get out of bed.

Well, after waking this morning to find that I could barely lift my head I decided that I'd better go to the doctor. I called my boss to let him know what was going on and then called the doc. Luckily they were able to squeeze me in same day at 0830. Over the course of the next hour and a half I managed to crawl out of bed, get dressed, grab a little bite to eat and make it to my appointment.

The "hospital" as they like to call it (more like a first aid station) provided by far the worst customer service I have ever experienced. I walked in the door 20 minutes before my appointment because the lady at the appointment call center made it a point to tell me ten or 50,000 times that if I were late they would cancel due to their busy schedules.

I approached the desk that I believed serviced the Dr. I would be seeing. I stood in line for about 15 minutes (keep in mind there were only two people in front of me). Finally, I reached the young Airman at the counter. He stared blankly at me as if I should tell him what to do. Frustrated I just said, I have a 0830 with Dr. so and so. He told me all appointments must check in at the next counter.

So I thought, eh, my mistake and walked the twenty or so feet to the next counter. There I was third in line. Thankfully this line moved much faster. I got to the counter and checked in. I was asked to have a seat over by the previous counter I was turned away from and told that, "someone will be with you shortly".

I only waited ten minutes or so and then a Med Tech called my name. She took me back weighed me, took my vitals and then asked me to sit tight. The Doc came in almost immediately after she walked out. He was very polite and very professional. His exam took all of 5 minutes to determine what I already knew; I have a sinus infection. He prescribed three meds and sent me on my way. Good thing by this time I felt like I was dragging a boulder with me everywhere I went.

Next stop, the pharmacy. I sat in the designated waiting area for just over a half an hour. Finally, on the verge of falling asleep I approached the pick up window with ID in hand. I informed the civilian clerk that I'd like to check the status of my prescription. She looked it up and told me that they were putting it together and it would be ready in about 5 minutes. I sat back down.

Roughly 15 minutes later my name was called. I walked up to the window and a SSgt (can you believe that, an NCO) literally tossed my prescription on the counter and said, "there you go." What ever happened to, do you have any questions about your prescription? Anyway, as she was rudely walking away from the window I said excuse me, I had three prescriptions. She looked over her shoulder and said, "No you didn't there was only one" as she kept walking. I said firmly, YES I DID, and I can show you the instructions the Dr. gave me for each. She came back to the window, checked her computer and said, "apparently the Dr. didn't put the other two in completely." I said, oh what do I need to do? She looked right at me and said, "I don't know ask the Dr. it's not my job." At this point I was so frustrated I was ready to reach back and smack her so hard her great-grand kids would walk like drunkards, but I didn't.

I made my way back to counter one (smug airman still there) and told the young man that I needed to see my Dr. as he accidentally omitted two of my prescriptions. He looked at me and said, "Refills are handled by the next counter." I told him I didn't need refills I just needed my doc to send the Rx over to the pharmacy. He said again, "Refills are handled by the next counter." So I looked him dead in the face and said, thank you Airman so and so I will be happy to let your superiors know what a stellar job you are doing here.

I proceeded back to counter two where there was no med tech in site. I waited for nearly 20 minutes before the other young airman emerged. In the mean time a retired General, whom I was speaking to in line, said, "fuck this" and walked off. I finally got to the counter and told her my problem. She took my medication instructions sheet and went back to speak with my doc. She emerged a couple of minutes later and told me to have a seat at the pharmacy.

I went back to the pharmacy and the whole routine started over. Wait 20, inquire, wait 10 more. This time when they called my name they had the other two ready. I took my prescriptions and headed home.

As I was walking out the door I noticed that I had been at the clinic for over two hours. Two hours for an appointment that took less than ten minutes. Never mind the fact that there were never more than four people waiting at one time at the pharmacy.

I am only a month away from my 10th anniversary in the Air Force. In that time I have missed work only once before today. That's not to say that I have only been sick once in ten years. Like many Americans I have gone to work with everything from the sniffles to continuous vomiting. But today it just wasn't going to happen.

Shortly after arriving home I got a call from the office. There was a problem and it appeared that I would be the only one who could handle it. I called my boss (works in a different office) to let him now that I did in fact go to the Dr. and that I was headed to work to sort out a problem and then I was headed home. When I called a co-worker answered. I asked for the boss and he said hold on. As he was handing the phone to the boss I heard him say, "Wow that sure is good acting, he really does sound sick."

(See above, ten years one sick day.)

So now that I have told the whole story what was the point?

Are we really so cold and calloused that we have to worry about the competitions every move? Do we really need to try and make others look bad to advance ourselves? Whatever happened to the days when you went to the hospital and it was obvious that the people there cared and genuinely wanted to help?

Yes today was a bad day, but it was also a disgusting look at the character of some people.

SlagleRock Out!

Posted by SlagleRock at November 16, 2004 06:37 PM