Totally frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CROOKEDSMILE]

I went for a consultation with the Oculoplastic surgeon in Nashville (6 hours away) 2 weeks ago. Surgery for a canthoplasty was scheduled at that time for March 13th. I booked my hotel at the Sheraton Downtown Nashville through Hotwire for cheaper rates on a 4 star hotel. My Mom, Dad, 4 year old son and I were packed and getting in the car to make the trip and I get a call from Dr. Klippensteins office saying that she has cancelled my surgery because she wanted to review my medical records from my brain surgery and previous eye surgeries and needed to get records. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!???!!! She had 2 weeks to do this and she thinks of it the day before surgery and cancels. I lost all of my money on my hotel room and it is nonrefundable since it was purchased through hotwire.com. Over $300. All they could do was say Sorry but the lady was VERY rude in even doing that! Now I really don't know what to do. Do I let them get my records and eventually do the surgery or do I want someone like that who does that to a patient to even do my surgery? UGH. I want to scream. My inlaws were coming in town to help with the kids and they show up tomorrow. Everything is totally screwed up. Is there such a thing as doctors who make sense any more? Totally uncalled for!
Angie

[saralynn143]

Oh, Angie, I'm so very sorry. Two things come to mind. First choice: leave the kids with the in-laws and head to Nashville anyway for a getaway with your husband. I'm sure the two of you could use the time together to decompress after all that has happened the past few months.

Second, call your credit card company, explain the circumstances, and ask whether you can contest the hotwire.com charge. Chances are slim, but you never know until you ask.

My vote, though, is that you and your husband go for the mini-vacation.

Sara

[EJTampa]

Angie, while many of those travel bargain sites don't offer refunds, I think most will allow you to make an exchange, perhaps for a fee, and select a new week.  I would check before it's too late.  Othewise, I'm all up for the vacation idea!
 
Hope things go better!
 
Ernie

[mimoore]

Oh Angie I feel your frustration!!!
Sara had a great idea. Go and have a good time with your husband.
Some doctors are dorks!
Hugs Michelle 

[nancyann]

Angie:  I am so sorry to hear this.    I'm glad Sara chimed in 1st because I'm ready to reel into that doctor;  how dare she so 'matter-of -fact' call you & postpone the surgery the day before !    She should have done her homework before the 'day before surgery.'     After it's all said & done I would complain to the medical director of the hospital about it.   I mean, no consideration at all for what you have to prepare !    Jeez Louise !  No one is that oblivious !

Hang in there Angie,   keep a peaceful heart.
I know this is rough having to wait longer -  the 1st time I was to have my platinum weight surg., my blood pressure was so high he wouldn't operate, I was so upset I started crying - I didn't want to wait another day, week - I was ready today !

Deep breath in & out (I don't know if that's for you or me !, okay, both ! !).

Always good thoughts,   Nancy

[Jim Scott]

Angie:

I'm ticked off just reading about this episode!  What a rude doctor! They would have to peel me off the ceiling if this happened to me, as well as talk me out of screaming invective at this person for being so ridiculously insensitive to my time, as if I  had nothing else to do but schedule surgery 600 miles away, then have it abruptly canceled, then wait around for the next surgery date.  How absurd!  I have to concur that a vacation in Nashville is warranted, if you can afford to do that but I would tell this Dr. Klippenstein to go eat my grits.  It's just my unsolicited opinion, of course, but this kind of insensitivity does not bode well and I wouldn't use him this doctor. 

Jim

[nancyann]

Angie:  I agree with Jim, I'd look into another doctor also, while I'm waiting for the next surgery date.  Then YOU can 'cancel' if you find another oculoplastic surgeon.
There's always my doc,  Dr. David Tenzel in Aventura, Fl.,  he's the best !

Okay, another deep breath,    Nancy
ps:  I wonder how many post facial paralysis cases she's done.....

[saralynn143]

I wonder, Angie, if this is not divine intervention that you do need another surgeon.

Sara

[CROOKEDSMILE]

Thanks guys. I was so angry and crying so hard. I would have felt much better if they had called and said....we're sorry we dropped the ball and have to cancel your surgery at the last minute. We didn't get your records for review but instead the lady was sooo rude and just told me I lost my money but "HEY...be thankful you've got a doctor that wants to be thorough!" She even said..'I don't think you get it! All your worried about is your hotel money. I would be glad if my doctor had the ethics of this doctor to want to review records before a surgery". NO! I GET IT....... I told her. I'm very glad but she had 2 weeks to do this instead she let me walk out the door with bags packed and hotel booked then called! I'm so sick of doctors right now. I need a doctor close to home that can do the surgery and we don't have any good ones here in little ROck. THe only one we have is the one that took out my platinum eyelid weight and he did a crazy zig zag cut they healed puckered on my eyelid when he told me that he would follow the crease of the eyelid (he did not) and then I got a nasty hospital acquired infection that ate at my eyelid that required daily visits and tons of antibiotics. Who would I call to file a complaint? I of course don't want to do it until I decide if I'm going to allow her to do my surgery but eventually I will call in a complaint. Lori.......Aren't you shocked about this? She was such a nice lady and I know you've met her. Maybe I  should've gone with her partner Wesley. I'm beginning to think that some of these doctors get their license out of crackerjack boxes. Maybe they are good but just have no consideration for people's time or money. Well. I'm working myself into a tizzy so I'll shut up. Sara.......the vacation sounds good but my inlaws aren't very use to watching small children as they only see mine about 4 times a year and we live on a busy street! I would be a nervous wreck as the last time I let their Grandfather watch the little one he got sidetracked and Tanner almost ran out in front of a car as he watched and ran after him in horror. Just NOT good with little ones. Very loving but absent minded. Anyway. Will look forward to my vacation coming up in 4 weeks then will think about this eye surgery later. I don't think these doctors realize what all we deal with after surgery for AN's or hemifacial spasms as in my case. It is never ending.
Nancy........I'm deep breathing like you said (and fire came out! lol)
Angie

[lori67]

Angie,

Since I don't have all the details of what happened in getting your records, I'm not going to take sides here.   I've worked in the medical field for many years in many different capacities, so I know how hard it can be to get records from another doctor in another state.  To quote Dr. Phil ( I do that a lot lately) - "no matter how flat you make a pancake, there are still two sides".  I am truly sorry about the aggravation it has caused you though.

My opinion of those two doctors is very favorable. I've never had any problems and they are highly regarded in the field of AN related eye issues in this area - and are the only ones that the neurotologists from Vanderbilt and associated hospitals refer to around here because of their reputation. Like I said, I've never had any issues with them - they were compassionate, efficient and polite in all my dealings with them.  I wish you had the same experience.  When it comes to doctors, it's not one size fits all - you have to find the one that is the right fit for you.  I was fortunate to find the right fit for me right here in town.

I hope you have better luck finding the right doctor for you and I'm sorry my recommendation didn't work out.

Lori
p.s  Jim - I believe the correct southern phrase to express anger is "kiss my grits".  Spoken down here, if you told someone to "eat your grits" they'd just say "thanks, don't mind if I do!".  And there is your Southernese lesson for today.  Isn't that caddy wampus???

[CROOKEDSMILE]

Hi Lori,
Thanks for your reply. They never even had me sign a medical record release form at my initial consultation. They did that yesterday via fax to my home when they called to cancel my surgery as I was walking out the door. So I guess they just forgot to do it. When I asked why this wasn't done before now......she couldn't answer that. All she could say was I have to do what the surgeon tells me to do and she wants me to cancel your surgery.  I do like the surgeon, she was very nice. I guess everyone is entitled to "a" mistake (just one. lol) I would rather forgive and forget knowing that she is a highly respected and talented doctor and go ahead and let her do the surgery than to pick one out of the phone book! And hey what's $300 in lost hotel money.........(a nice shopping spree!)
Angie

[Jim Scott]

p.s  Jim - I believe the correct southern phrase to express anger is "kiss my grits".  Spoken down here, if you told someone to "eat your grits" they'd just say "thanks, don't mind if I do!".  And there is your Southernese lesson for today.  Isn't that caddy wampus???

Lori:

Thanks for the correction.  I should have remembered this from the old TV show 'Alice' .  You're probably too young to remember this show but it was a TV hit in the late 1970's.  The character of the earthy waitress 'Flo' (perfectly played by actress Polly Holiday) would often use it on her boss and anyone else who annoyed her.  It always got a laugh from my wife and I.  We thought it was a good way to show anger, contempt or just plain annoyance without really cursing.  Unfortunately, living in New England, my using the phrase would likely just draw a confused look from most folks, so I'll have to keep it in reserve for when I travel down south and want to have a good exit line at the end of some otherwise futile argument. 

Jim

[lori67]

Jim,

Just wanted to make sure you get your true point across when traveling down south!       Somehow, I think these cute little southern phrases lose something when said with our Yankee accent anyway!

I do remember that show - I always kinda liked Vera, the airheaded waitress.  Don't tell my sister, but she always reminded me of her...very sweet, but not the brightest crayon in the box.   

Ok, enough reminiscing, we'll get our grits beat to a pulp by Phyl if we keep this up.... back on topic!!!!!!!!!!

Lori

[oHIo]

Angie...just wondering if you could get a credit for your hotel for a later date with a medical statement?  If Hotwire would do this, I believe the least your Dr.'s office could do is write a letter. 

Obtaining medical records can be tricky, even for other medical institutions.  Some will release records from provider to provider without a release and some won't.  It can also take quite a while (up to 8 weeks in some facilities) to obtain medical records.  It is a pain for everyone.  Good luck. 

[NancyMc]

Welcome to my world!  My thread was entitled "Torture".  See link below.

http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=8765.0