Sigh of relief and grunt of disgust

I called the TSA this morning (after pouring through FAA lists of prohibited items for carry-on/checked baggage for flights) and asked if I am able to carry-on my sewing machine Wednesday morning when I fly back up to New York. It's not prohibited, it just needs to go through screening like all other carry-ons and I can bring it onboard with me. Phew! Big sigh of relief there. I was afraid they'd tell me that parts of it were considered weapons or something and they'd make me either check it or not allow me to bring it at all. I don't have a hard carrying case for it, but luckily I have a Samsonite tote bag that's the perfect size to fit it and some notions. Scissors and pins will have to go in checked baggage, of course, but my machine and basic notions can come into the cabin with me. I'm so happy about that!

Then there's the irritation factor - c'mon, you don't think I can go through a day without something pissing me off, do you? Let's not be silly, class. Last week I called my doc's office in NYC to refill a prescription for 3 months until I can get back up there and have my yearly appointment. The dude assured me it was no problem, he'd call it in. I gave him the pharmacy's # and all was hunky dory. Or so I thought. When I called the pharm yesterday to see if it was ready they informed me they'd never received the refill from the doc. Hmm. Okie dokie, guess I'd have to call again to have them call it in. AGAIN. I left a msg this morning. Then I called 2 hours later to make sure they'd gotten the msg and was told (with a chuckle), "Oh, we haven't even checked those yet." Alrighty then. Supposedly the chick is going to call it in today. Which is good seeing as my drop-dead date for picking it up is tomorrow.

Seems like a minor annoyance, right? It sure does, until you consider that this is the doctor's office that has not once in a year & a half called in a prescription correctly. Every time I've had to call back at least twice. What's more is that the doc (imminent TMI alert if you're squeamish or you're a guy and you'd prefer to be ignorant to the medical obligations of women) was so rough with me last year during my pap smear that she made me bleed. I was BLEEDING, ladies and gents. I had to stay in the ladies' room for 20 minutes before I left the office to make sure I wasn't going to stain my pants. This is not normal, in case there was any question about that. You don't need to injure a woman's cervix to get enough cells to send to the lab. When I called the head physician of the practice to let him know that one of his staff doctors had a less than pleasant bedside manner and was much too rough with patients he didn't ask if I was alright, how long the bleeding lasted, when my appointment was, who the doctor was - nothing. He was ready to hang up and I made him listen to me as I detailed it for him. I don't think he wrote anything down. Hell, it's hard to catch details when you're not really listening. Bottom line is I'm never setting foot in that office ever again, but I need them to refill my pill prescription until I can find another doctor. What ever happened to doctors caring about the well being of their patients? That's their job, right? I sure thought it was.

Happy Monday, everyone!

UPDATE: It's now 2:39PM. The pharmacy still hasn't heard from the doctor's office. I've called those poor pharmacists 4 times. I just called the doc's office again (also for the 4th time) and said that I needed this to be called in, I needed it today, and asked when it might be called in. This is what I got after giving the chick my info all over again, "I don't know. I just give it to the person who does that." "OK, well can you tell me if it will be done today? No offense, please understand that I know you guys are very busy, but you're the 3rd person I've spoken to in a week who assured me it would be called in. I'm calling again right now because it hasn't been called in. I'm sure you can appreciate my frustration here." "It'll be today." Sure. I believe that like I believe there are WMDs in Iraq.