I thought it would be a piece of cake, girls. After having undergone the MRI two weeks before, all I had left was the EEG, which I thought would be a snap. I mean, I have been EKG'ed more times than I can count, and how could it be any worse than that?????????
And, truthfully, it should not have! But, after my experience yesterday, I am not going back to this place for one, and I want all my girls to know what to avoid.
The address given on my form--1000 10th Avenue, Fourth Floor, I initially thought was going to be all the way down by the river, as I made my way from Eighth to Ninth Avenue, and beyond. I was amazed when the address turned out to be the address of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, an institution I have always held in high esteem. Until now.
I was directed to the fourth floor, where the Neurology Department was, and where the EEG tests are given. Fine. The trouble started when I knocked on the door. At first, no one answered,
then the door was opened by this surly, irate Med Tech named Vic, who clearly did not want to deal with me, or anyone. Added to which he was the only one there--no one else, no receptionist, nothing. My
test was scheduled for 9am, and it was now 9:08. I did not mind the wait, but with no one there to take my basic info?????????? What gives????????????
Shortly, this snooty woman named Candace, who looks like she has been gorging on too much fast food fried chicken, if you get my drift, darlings, grills me, because it seems I am not in the appointment book. Charmer Vic asks if I talked to Candace when I mead the appointment. I lied, telling him I was not sure, although what I was sure of was I did NOT talk to Candace, because the voice I spoke to when making my appointment, was, frankly, younger!!!!!!!!!!! (They claimed this turned out to be a temp they had working, who was incompetent, but, you know, I wonder!!!!!!!) I should have said that to that bitch!!!!!!!!!
Instead, I haughtily tossed out the name and phone number of my neurologist, and it was evidently a name they knew because it got results. They got on the phone, where they received confirmation I was to be there
for that very procedure. I filled out the necessary paperwork, they made a copy of my insurance card, and then I waited.
The wait was not a long one, by any means. What I want to complain about is the attitude of the three Med Techs working there. Victor and Candace, especially, seemed to keep up a running line about leaving there for Methodist in Brooklyn, where they feel people in their positions are treated better, paid more, and are given perks, like tickets to Broadway shows!!!!!!!!!!! Which does not make a patient about to be tested feel secure if the ones giving the test have their minds on other things beside their jobs.
The one giving me the test--I think she said her name was Jamie--shared in the conversation too, but she was nicer, and when the time came to get down to business, she did. But it was made clear to me she agreed with her colleagues' job dissatisfaction, and that leaving there would be her ticket!!!!!!!!!! Great!!!!!!!!!!!! Meanwhile, a baby, or toddler, came in for the same test, and Victor, having been assigned the tyke, began to bitch about its crying, whether to sedate it, or distract it with cartoons. The baby kept up a running cry throughout, and,while I ordinarily would be annoyed, I was cheering like hell for this kid. Annoy the hell out of this Victor guy, I wanted to say! I hope you bite him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile, like I said, Jamie was nice, but it took her longer to put the electrodes on my head, than the test itself!!!!!!!!!!! What is that all about??????? She told me what was going to happen, but did not really explain anything, clearly underestimating my intelligence, which was probably far superior to hers, anyway. Or, at least, my bedside manner would have been. When the light show started--where my eyes are closed, and they flash these lights right in my face, to see how my brain responds, at one point I was so angered, I wanted to rip the electrodes off, and just storm out of there. What stopped me was the thought of having to come back here again! That I am never going to do, and when I see Dr. Ramon Valderama next week, I am going to tell him. Or, at least, if Roosevelt is my only option, this crew had better have been sent on their way.
There were two things I wanted to say to this bunch. First, they needed a course in Patient Advocacy, because they did everything possible to make me feel UN-comfortable. And, second, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, meaning if you don't like your job, do something about it, but, most of all do NOT bitch about it in front of patients you are about to conduct medical tests on.
I hope someone at St. Lukes Roosevelt reads this, and I hope that Candace, Jamie and Vic are booted out of there ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I should have conducted the damn test myself, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then
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