waiting...

waiting...

If a Real Estate Company was set up like my doctor’s office you would call and not be greeted either by a real human or an answering machine promising a certain time that you would be called back.

You would get a list of options to choose from. “Hi! This is Alpha-Omega Real Estate! Listen carefully as our options have changed! If you are trying to sell your home, and your listing is overpriced, please hang up and dial the emergency room. If you want to buy a house, press one. If you would like to buy a house, and you are prequalified by a lender, press 2. If you would like to try to sell your house, press three. To repeat these options, press 4. For general questions, please press 7.”

It makes you wonder where 5 and 6 went, if you got that far. If you just decide to cut to the chase and choose 5 before listening to the end of the message, you will be disconnected. Same thing if you push “0.”

It’s all about rules and how you- the consumer- follow them. As I was sitting in the exam room today, I heard the staff discussing a patient (!)- one said, “I don’t know how to get through to him.” The other said, “I KNOW. I have tried scolding him- yelling at him- nothing works.”

For now, let’s just leave aside the fact that these people should NEVER have been speaking about a patient within earshot of anyone outside of those directly involved with treatment. My guess is that the reason that this patient was even still seeing this office is that they are pretty nearly the only dog-and-pony show in town. And guess what? I don’t want to be managed either. As soon as this little speed-bump of a health crisis is resolved, I will probably change offices.

I too was scolded by the front office, and frankly that tactic doesn’t work with me. But for now I am stuck there. I found out my blood pressure is high- they didn’t tell me what, but at the Wal*mart machine it was 156 over 93. This and the fact that I am retaining fluid in my extremities (I couldn’t even walk yesterday after work) suggests that something is going on that requires some sort of treatment, so I can’t really vote with my feet now- literally.

I guess that if I take anything away from this it is this. Most people do not want to be managed. People want to be helped, guided, advised- treated with respect.

And not talked about in the hallway.