Pediatric Purgatory

The Bug's 6 month check up was supposed to be yesterday, but we got stuck in what I call Pediatric Purgatory. At our pediatrician's office you check in from your car at a call box and if you're lucky they will tell you which room to go to (all room doors are on the outside of the building). If you're unlucky, you will sit in your car with a screaming, sometimes sick baby until they call your cellphone to send you to a room.

All was going well when I pulled up and was sent directly into a room. Sweet! We'd be out of there in no time! And then we entered Pediatric Purgatory...

I proceeded to spend the next hour and a half in a room the size of a jail cell with an impatient toddler and an infant. Oh, and did I mention that she hadn't napped? After about 45 minutes, I'd given my Monkey a full on lesson on the solar system that decorated the room, and we'd exhausted the snacks and entertainment I'd brought along. I enlisted him to help me entertain the Bug who was beyond irritable, just wanting to nap which also means wanting to nurse.

I think I nursed her 3 or 4 times while I was there. She'd be drifting off to sleep and in would come the nurse who I would realize later was trying to fill the time before she had to tell me that the doctor wasn't coming. We weighed her, measured her head, measured her length, and filled out a developmental survey. After about an hour and 20 minutes they said the doctor was called to the hospital and wouldn't be coming back. I every so politely inquired about the 6 other providers (3 of which are newly hired to specifically prevent this from happening because it has been a complaint of patients for a while)and not one was available to see her. Not even for 5 minutes to do a once over and give the go ahead for her vaccinations.

I was told I had to reschedule...for 2 weeks from now. So I (not so politely) told them that this was unacceptable and now we're going back tomorrow. I'm sure this isn't the most interesting story, but it's one that I've experienced too many times. I think I'll be looking for a new doctor and leave Pediatric Purgatory behind!