WannaBeNormal - My Search for Peace, Love

Ok your not even gonna BELIEVE this, I have now totally lost all faith in this hospital and would sooner DIE than have another procedure there………………………………..

My appointment for the HIDA Scan was for 10. I got there at 9:45. You normally have to register, all they do is go over your info, address phone number, that sort of thing. When they FINALLY call me in, first off they couldn’t find my file, second I said my appt was for 10, are they waiting? Will they still have a spot for me? She called down, they said they were waiting. So then they ask for my insurance, which I have told them umpteen times I DO NOT have, so then SHE calls the business office, gives them my file number and asks if I can go AFTER the scan since the radiology department was waiting for me, they say no, I MUST go there first. I was pissed, but clock ticking I hurried over.

How much will you be paying today? The test is 3k, I say look, I am a single mom, I make at most 1200 a month, and I already am paying you a hundred a month, that is ALL I can afford, cant you add it to my bill? They say, get this, “no maam, if you cant pay for this test right now you will have to wait until you can pay for it, you are already in debit to us too much” OMG I FREAKIN LOST IT!!!!!!!!!

I said “you are KIDDING me right???” I turned into mega bitch lol, but I felt completely justified, I don’t believe a hospital can deny or refuse a test a doctor says I need. If I was in there getting my boobs done or something FINE but this was a MEDICALLY NEEDED TEST!!! I started bawling too, which I HATE about me, if I get frustrated or angry I cry. I said Look at my records, I have been to the ER twice, I am in severe pain and they need to find the cause (technically this same test is run to see if u have cancer in the gall bladder, its rare, but still a possibility) not to mention, if you WERENT gonna let me have this done couldn’t you have called me BEFORE I fasted with nothing to eat or drink since midnight and drove up here and sat and waited to get registered for over an hour, was there NOT a moment at some point thru ALL that time that you could have told me “hey if u cant give us money we wont do the test???” So the lady says, let me talk to my supervisor. She scurries off as I have made quite a scene but I honestly did not care I was PISSED how could they refuse me a medically necessary test???? The lady that was sitting there (there had been two, one went to the supervisor) said “haven’t you gotten calls from us regarding your bill?” I said no, and you have in your records my cell as my main contact, so take a look, u tell me if you’ve called me, and I whipped my cell phone out of my purse and threw it on the desk. (lol I know, WAY overdramatic but I was absolutely furious) The lady says no ma’am that’s not necessary, and the other lady comes back and says “ok my supervisor says you can have THIS test but any further procedures done here must be run by the billing department and you will be expected to pay” At this point I am sobbing, I pick up my papers and go off to radiology without a word.

I get to radiology still in tears and they take me right back. I KNOW I need to calm down but I cant, I am so upset by everyones lack of concern. I am in serious pain, and no one wants to know why, whats causing it, what can we do to fix it. What has happened to this world where people can be SO callous and uncaring? The initial IV didn’t hurt. I sat there for well over an hour while they waited for my gall bladder to fill up with the tracer and spent the majority of that time quietly sobbing with my arm over my eyes. The tech never asked why, just went about checking the machine, at one point he asked if I wanted a blanket which I took. Once my gb was filled he did the second injection, and I wasn’t prepared for the pain, I started writhing, it was an attack similar to what I had gone to the ER for. The guy kept saying, its just seven minutes, hold still. That’s not easy when there was so much pain I start writhing and all he could do was say “hold still, few more minutes” So I sobbed more silently until they finally released me. I just can NOT believe my treatment. I felt so wronged and violated. I got home and decided to do something about it. First off I am writing to the hospital administrator, congress senate, whatever, cuz its so unreal. Second, I am going to my appointment with the surgeon on Monday and asking if he can do the surgery at a DIFFERENT hospital, I don’t want them getting any more of my money. Third I am contacting an attorney to see if what they did was even lgal.

I am ok now, the dull ache I always have is there, plus a slight headache from dehydration. I just wanted to share this with you all to see if you thought I was over reacting or if this is truly unfair. Give me your honest opinion, I need to know.

Thanks gang, luv you all

Jo