General Hospital II: My doctor's worse than my disease!

As you recall, in the previous episode, Erica's doctor suspected her hand pain was due to rheumatoid arthritis. He referred her to a rheumatologist who didn't take her insurance. Erica called her insurance company and got the name of a specialist who WOULD take her insurance (and was close to home) but he couldn't fit her into his schedule until a month later.

So, one month later, I show up at Edward's hospital way early for my appointment so I could pick up a copy of my x-rays from the radiology department that the rheumatologist requested I bring along to my appointment. I drive through the parking garage and finally find a spot on the roof. The sign near my car says "Stairs" and points left. I walk in that direction, open the door, and find myself in a pretty nasty looking stairwell. It doesn't look like a public area, but I walk down anyway (the sign told me to!). When I get down to the ground level, I'm in a small corriador with 2 elevators, 2 hallways, and a few offices. I decide to take the hallway that goes left, but there's nothing but offices that way. I go back and take the other hallway, and it looks like it's the same thing. After taking the elevator's up (maybe the lobby is on the 2nd floor?), then back down, and finally finding an odd hallway that went, like, half out-side -I eventually found the lobby.

From there the lady at the Information desk pointed me to radiology, and within 10 minutes I had a copy of my x-rays on CD for the rheumatologist. Next, I went back to the Information desk to find out where the specialist, Dr Munn, was located. The girl looked him up in a big book, then consulted with the other lady about where the office was and how to give me directions to it. After getting about half-way through the instructions, she gave up and walked me to the bank of elevators I saw when I first entered the hospital from that scary stairwell. She left me there, at the elevators, saying that he was on the 3rd floor. I pushed the "up" button while she helped an older woman who was as lost as I was when I first entered the hospital. (The sign that directed me to the stairs in the parking garage was clear enough, why not a sign like that near the elevators that says "LOBBY -->" ?

Anyway, I got off the elevator on the 3rd floor, and walked around looking for an office that said "Dr. Munn" or "Rheumatology" on it, and after finding "Rheumatology", found myself in a line waiting to check in. No biggie. I was over a half-hour early. As I got to the head of the line a man tried cutting infront of me, but I have mad anti-cutting skillz, so I beat the cane-carrying man to the counter (heh, take that!).

"Erica Steeve here for a 2:15 with Dr. Munn" I said. And the receptionist got a confused look on her face.

"Dr Munn is never here on Fridays" she said.

"WHAT!?! I've waited a month in pain and took a half-day off of work to come to this appointment!"

"Sorry, he's not here."

"Well, could you check to see if I'm in the computer? I was told I have an appointment with him today at 2:15pm."

"Well, Dr Munn works out of his Oakbrook office on Fridays. I'll call there and see if they know where he is."

So, I wait. About 5 minutes later she comes out and says that his answering service says that his office is at lunch until 2pm. "Well, what am I supposed to do?" I asked exasperated.

After finally getting her to try reaching the doctor's office directly instead of through his answering service (!?!) she still can't get anyone on the phone that can say where the doctor is or what I should do. I left the office with Dr. Munn's business card and slammed the door behind me on my way out.

As I ride the elevator back down to the first floor (to take the stairs to the 4th floor of the parking garage) I dial the number on the business card. I get a woman on the phone and I tell her my situation. She explains that Dr. Munn is in the Oakbrook office today, he only sees patients in the Naperville office by request.

Again, I explained that I've spent a month IN PAIN waiting for this appointment and ask what I should do. She gives me directions to the Oakbrook office and says I might still be able to make it. I look down at my watch, it's almost 2:00 -time for me to take my medication. I haven't had lunch yet, and I can't eat while I drive 'cause I'm in the Laser (stick-shift). I get in the car and start crying before I get out of the garage...

I pulled in the parking lot of the Oakbrook office at 2:15pm (I love the Laser), and quickly find Dr. Munn's office. The receptionist turns out to be who I talked to on the phone and she re-iterates that Dr. Munn can see me in Naperville if I request that at the time the appointment is made. It takes all I have to not catch her by the throat and tell her that if someone would have told me that my appointment was in Oakbrook I could have avoided this whole mess and saved about 60 miles on the car since I started out from work in Hinsdale, drove to Edward's Hospital in Naperville, then back to Oakbrook for this appointment. But, instead, I take a seat and wait for my name to be called.

When I get into the doctor's office I start to calm down and was suprised that my blood pressure was "normal". Dr. Munn ended up being a great guy. He explained everything well, and didn't seem to be in a hurry. Any questions I had were answered, and he even took the time to tell me about some exercises I could do to help stabilize my "floating patella". Early on in the exam he said he didn't think I have rheumatoid arthritis. He was able to feel nodules in my 2 most painful fingers and diagnosed the problem as "Trigger Finger". My treatment options are: rest and anti-inflammatory medication, a cortisone injection (which he readily admitted was very painful), and surgery (also painful, but very effective). I chose the drugs even though I've been on NSAID's of one sort or the other since November because of this pain and suspected arthritis. After reading up on it, however, I bet I'll eventually give in and go with the injection or surgery. I mean, obviously I'm no good at resting my fingers...