Ah, push it -- push it real good.

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Whoa, what a morning.  Let’s see…First I get a call from a specialist office looking for additional phone numbers for a patient of Dr. Whoshallremainnamless, because results showed that she needed to be admitted immediately to the hospital.  After I verified security info, I gave her the only phone number that she hadn’t read to me.  The caller said that if that phone number did not get the patient, that she would call the police to go to her residence.  This partially alarmed me, so after I noted the account, I went to find the dr’s nurse for an FYI.  Unfortunately, she didn’t come in for another ten minutes and the nurse manager asked if she could help.  I explained the situation, she told me that the dr was in his office and she would run it by him.  He happened to walk by and she stopped him and looked at me to explain.  I re-told, and all I got was a very rude, impatient response that was utterly offensive.  It really set me back.  I discussed the situation with a few co-workers and my super ear, HR and she confirmed that this attitude is not uncommon with this doctor, a personality trait (flaw…) perhaps.  It didn’t curb my desire to keep a line of communication open with the clinical staff to help ensure total patient care, but it did strengthen my resolve to deal only with the nurses (except for a few docs I know are humanitarian.  Next, I got a call from a very unhappy patient for being charged for well care visit when her husband was billed differently.  This conversation (not a particularly rare one in this field) was lengthy and unpleasant and ended up with follow up research.  When all was said and done and I got back a hold of her, she agreed to pay the bill under protest and began a complaint about the unpleasantness of a particular exam.  (Insert break until lunch, will type more) – Thumper was so much improved in last night’s class.  He is doing very well with sit, lay down, and improving with loose leash walking.  He did well with ‘leave it’ and ‘come here’.  Basically, this class was one of the first that was pleasant and insightful.  Unfortunately it also showed that Lexie’s level of tiredness and hyperactivity obviously does affect the enjoyment and benefit of the class.  Now I wish we could retain Mom as her babysitter for each class.  – Question?  Should a person with known allergies to molds, and who went via ambulance to the ER in anaphylactic shock over penicillin eat Roquefort cheese?

Word(s) of the day:  VENIPUNCTURE

Lexie log:  Poor angel has another cold.  She’s had a mild fever the last two nights that finally elevated sometime in the middle of the night.  I got the Children’s Liquid Advil out of the cupboard on my way to work, and Daddy gave her some first thing when she woke up.  She sounded nasally to me over the phone and told me that she had medicine to make her better.  Now I want to go home and cuddle her.  – Lexie and Grammy spent a good hour and a half getting to know every inch of PetSmart last night.  Kudos to Grammy, Lexie was going on 10 hours with only a ten-minute nap.  – I just got off the phone with her for my lunchtime call.  She was crying a little and upset.  I knew why, because Daddy had already told me, but I got on the phone with her and here is the dialogue:
Mommy: Hi Lexie, what are you guys up to?
Lexie: I’m just crying like that.
Mommy:  Why are you crying?
Lexie:  Thumper took my cheese.
Mommy:  Well, you don’t have to cry, Lex.  You could just ask Daddy for another piece.
Lexie:  OK.

Then back to Daddy.

Today I’m grateful for Frank and Lexie, Mom and Dad, dog training classes, Tupperware, microwaves, weekends, and cuddling.