The Yellow Pages and a Little Bit of Luck

A little over five years ago, I had had enough.  Enough of the packed waiting room that never got cleaned. Enough of the receptionists that assumed they were right and that you were ignorant. Enough of the three hours that would pass before the on-call doctor would call.  Enough of my childs doctor who no longer took what I said as truth but rather assumed I was lying to get the end result that I desired.  For five years I had assumed it was my only choice.

I then remembered something my English teacher taught me about assumptions....  My second child was about to be born and I dreaded going back. We had one last appointment and I simply looked at my husband and we decided "NO MORE!!" There had to be something better, someone better. Having a newborn, we had to figure it out quickly. We would need to go back in two weeks. In a moment of desperation, we cracked open the yellow pages and picked. I called that day and asked if there were openings and if I could make an appointment for my son. 

He simply stated "wouldn't you like to meet me first?"  From that moment, I knew I wouldn't need to...

There are so many things that I assumed were normal.  My English teacher was right...  I now visit a clean empty waiting room which isn't really necessary because I have yet to wait for more than 10 minutes.  The receptionist/nurse is incredibly kind and welcoming. The doctor believes me... When I call (after hours) explaining that my son may have something in his ear, he answers. No answering service. He decides that if he is not writhing in pain he will see him in the morning.  When I call back five minutes later after my guilt -idden son asked if when I looked I saw something silver shaped like an octagon, he responds "meet me there in 10 minutes."  Twenty minutes later the silver octagon shaped sequin was flushed from his ear.

I am so thankful for my mom intuition and for the yellow pages. But I am most thankful for the doctor that has proven that sometimes the way it used to be is the way it should be. 

Moms, stop thinking bad service is normal. Stop bringing your kids to filthy waiting rooms where they will get more sick than they were before you arrived. Stop being treated like you are ignorant because you don't have a nice piece of paper in a frame on the wall. Stop pacing the floor with sick child at 2 a.m. while you are waiting for the on-call doctor to call you back.  

The only way to be treated well is to stop being treated poorly.  Don't accept that every place is like that. I have proof that shows that just isn't true. I know that our doctor has a waiting list but he can't be the only one. It's time to demand better so that more doctors like him open offices of their own and leave the insanity that has just been accepted as the norm. 

Norms are created by those that make up the society..  its time to make good service and compassion the norm.