Argh.

So I had a doctor's appointment today. Not just any doctor, a specialist. Since, my appointment was at 10:45, I knew that I'd have to leave the house at 10. So the girls and I got up, got dressed, Maria and I ate breakfast and then I fed Amelia. Oh, and I showered somewhere in there, put on Caillou for Maria, filled a sippy cup and packed a diaper bag.

Anyhow, at about 9:40 I'm looking over the paperwork that they sent me, and I realize that it says..."Bring your lab results with you to the appointment. DO NOT rely on the mail or fax." Argh.

I know that I read this before... but I thought that it only said "do not mail". Silly me I thought having the info faxed would be enough... after all they provided the fax number on the form. So not panicking (ok, maybe slightly panicking), I call the number. Busy signal. Wait a minute. Hit redial. Busy signal. Repeat this 6 times. Pack up the girls. Put everything down and try one more time. Argh.

Finally I get through to someone. I'm put on hold while they check for the forms. The nice lady asks when they were supposed to be sent. Argh.

"I dunno? the beginning of March?"

Nice Lady: "ok, then they might be up front, hold on a minute.... Ah, here they are in your file."

Good. At least I don't have to run to pick them up before going to the appointment. But now it's already 10:10. I'm supposed to be dropping Maria off with Pop at 10:15. Argh.

Run for the car... find Maria downstairs in her stroller.

"I riding in 'troller mommy!"

Put Amelia in car. Get Maria out of stroller, put stroller in trunk and Maria in her seat. Drive.

10:24 - drop Maria off with Pop. Drive.

10:40 - arrive at doctor's office. Look at packed waiting room full of grumpy faces. Check in, and overhear a woman on her cell phone saying... "I'm still here, and I had a 9:15 appointment." Argh.

After filling out the HIPPA paperwork, I scan for a place to sit. There are three spots, all next to someone else. I pick the old man in the corner, hoping that he's not allergic to babies. He isn't... he and his wife spend the next 10 minutes making noises and faces a Amelia. She smiles back, coos and put on quite a show. The other people in the waiting room look jealous... they have nothing so interesting to entertain them.

Meanwhile, I sit and calculate how far behind they are....I figure I have about an hour and a half wait ahead of me. Argh.

I then sit and wonder how many people I can offend if I have to breastfeed Amelia in this waiting room. All of them are old and the way we're packed in there is no way I'll be able to go unnoticed. I spend some time worrying about this, then figure... if it comes to that I'll just demand that they let me use one of their rooms. Then I spend time trying to remember who was in the room when I walked in and who has come in since I got here. Looks like about 10 people ahead of me. Argh.

Then I watch the drug reps come in. This provides some entertainment, as they are all dressed alike and carrying large bags. I start to amuse myself by guessing which ones will stay for an audience with the doctor and which ones will decide to leave.

As, I'm near the door, and the reception desk I get to over hear all kinds of privileged information, including the receptionist discussing her medical condition with the drug rep., and the drug rep handing out free medical advice... essentially, "try our drug." Isn't there a saying, "don't trust someone who's trying to sell you something?" (maybe I made it up, but it's sounds true to me."

I also get to hear about the receptionist's father, who because of a freak accident in which he swallowed a chicken bone, now has to have his throat stretched twice a year. (eww...)

Finally, my name is called. Unfortunately it's a false alarm. Argh.

They just want to get my weight before I see the doctor. He will be with me shortly. I wait five more minutes, then call Pop and let him know that I'm going to be late as it is now the time that I said I'd be there to pick Maria up. Five minutes later and the doctor comes to get me.

Amelia is now starting to get fussy. I rock her with one hand while letting the doctor check my blood pressure, pulse, etc... I give him my history... he checks the chart a couple times. Finally, he says, "I agree with your doctor, you have X. I think that you should stay on the medicine. Come back if you doctor feels that you need to see me again. I'll meet you at the front desk."

Huh? That's it? Wait, I have questions...to late he' s already gone. So, in all I waited an hour and 45 minutes for 5 minutes with a doctor, a specialist, who didn't give me a chance to ask any questions, and whose only advice was keep taking the medicine.

ARGH.