Do Doctors and Lab Technicians Treat Patients Like Cattle?

Why is it that when I go to a specialist or get blood drawn, I feel like I just took a number at the deli counter at Walbaum’s?

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of specialists. I have this crazy numbness feeling in my feet, hands and mouth. Sometimes it’s really intense. Other times, I can live with it. However, I would like to know what’s going on, since it first began last March.

The first neurologist told me that there was nothing wrong with me. He actually yelled at me on the phone when I called to find out the results!

The second neurologist told me to breathe into a brown paper bag because it was probably stress related. “But why now as opposed to any other time?” I asked. “I’ve been in business for more than 17 years and never had this happen and have been under a lot more stress than this!”

When I told my general practitioner about this comment, he laughed. “You need to go to someone else,” he said. “Would you try again?” (BTW, my GP is the best! I am so thankful that I have him!)

So, I went to this older doctor down in Long Beach, NY. Although I thought my next step should be a teaching hospital like NYU, I figured it couldn’t hurt to give him a try. In the meantime, my GP told me to start taking Magnesium pills, so I went out and bought a jar. Do you know what horse pills look like? These pills are so big I don’t know how I can swallow them!!!!

So this older doc, says I should get blood work again. I went to the lab today (this was another story within itself!). The technicians were so incredibly rude I couldn’t believe it. Oxford Health keeps switching their labs and I keep going to another lab with each doctor!

“You ate,” the technician sneered at me.

“Yes, the doc said I should eat and then have blood drawn after 2 hours,” I said.

“Well, that’s not how the test is supposed to be performed!” she said.

“Should I call the doctor?” I asked.

“NO, WE’LL JUST PUT IN YOUR CHART!” she said. All of a sudden I had a flash back to my High School days when the teachers would say they were going to put something in my permanent record. That used to scare me so! No, not the permanent record!!!!!!

I finally had the blood drawn…. but it wasn’t pleasent. The technician jabbed the needle into me! When I asked her when I would get the results she said she had no idea.

“You really have no idea?” I asked

“Your doctor will call you,” she said. “We don’t get involved with that!”

I’m amazed that these are the people supposed to be our health providers! Aren’t they supposed to be caring, gentle and comforting? Or, are they supposed to treat us like cattle?

Hilary Topper