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Not a Happy Camper

I was not a happy camper this morning.  This morning, I was scheduled for the first of the tests that my doctor wants me to have done since my little scare on Friday morning.  I had a 9am appointment at my doctor's office to have the carotid doppler exam.  The exam uses ultrasound to measure the blood flow through the carotid arteries to the brain.  Below is a picture of my appointment card to show that I did in fact have a 9am appointment for today.  I have blocked out any identifying info of the doctor's identity. I showed up at the doctor's office about 10 minutes early.  The office was completely dark.  The office usually has people in it prior to opening, and the door is usually unlocked a little early as well. You can imagine my dismay when I looked at the office hours sign that was posted outside of office door that showed that the office did not open on Wednesday's until 12:30. I immediately called the doctor's office and heard the message stating the Wednesday office hours.  I pressed the button to be connected with the answering service.  They reiterated the posted office hours, but took my number and said they would get a message out to the doctor.  I continued to wait outside of the doctor's office for about 15 to 20 minutes waiting for a return phone call.  It never came.

I was totally pissed off thinking I was going to have to reschedule the test.  I was just getting ready to head home when I saw one of the nurses from the practice walking towards the office.  As she was approached the door to unlock it, I saw the technician who was to perform the test approaching with her equipment.

The test ended up taking about 15-20 minutes.  The tech said that they would have to review the images and the results would be sent to the doctor in about a week, providing they did not find anything that needed urgent attention.  Here is hoping that I don't hear back from my doctor until sometime next week.

On a somewhat related note, I was also scheduled to get MRIs performed on my brain and my neck tomorrow morning.  Unfortunately, I just got a call from the radiologists office informing me that the pre-certification for the tests had been denied.  According to my insurance company it was denied because I had not met the medical prerequisites for the test.  The test is normally given to people after they have a stroke, not to see if they are at risk for one.

I am hoping that my doctor will be able to get the necessary approval so that I can get these MRIs done.  My doctor has not yet arrived at the office yet, nor is the person who handles the referral process for him since they do not open until 12:30.  Hopefully, they will be able to talk to the insurance company to get these tests approved.  I freaking hate insurance companies. Posted by Dick Stone at 11:25 AM Labels: Blood flow, Conditions and Diseases, Doctor's office, Health, Magnetic resonance imaging

