Lab Work

1/23/2014

Today's rant?  Missing lab work.  Last week, per doctor's order, I took myself off to a local lab for some testing.  Let me start my annoyance with trying to grab a ticket for the parking lot arm to lift.  First, I have short arms and there was no way that I was going to be able to reach the ticket.  So, luckily there was nobody behind me, because I had to put the car in park, unbuckle the seat belt, physically get out of the car to get the stupid ticket.  Then I did all those steps in reverse and went on my way to find a parking spot, which is not always easy.

Once inside the lab, I actually only waited a few minutes which in itself was a shock to my system.  I had come prepared with a puzzle book and a pen filled with ink so I could make good use of my down time by trying to keep my mind sharp - or - at the very least look up the answers in the back of the book!

It took mere minutes to draw some blood and to send me on my way.  I was delighted that it had been relatively easy, because I am still filled with anxiety over most everything that is not my norm.  Once in the lobby, I saw the machine where you were to pay for parking.  It was at that exact moment that I realized I only had $1.00 in my wallet!  Talk about planning.  Luckily, my short time at the lab only cost me a dollar for parking.  Still I find it ridiculous to have to pay for parking.  I unfolded my lone dollar and tried to press out the wrinkles and managed to get the machine to take my dollar and spit out a receipt.

Next challenge was getting out of the parking lot.  Back to the gate where you are supposed to deposit the ticket in a slot to allow the arm to lift.  Trouble was twofold: I couldn't seem to find the ticket slot and then realized once again that I wasn't close enough to the ticket box to actually insert the ticket! At this point my irritation was beginning to mount.  The guard kept trying to talk to me through a closed window.  Guess what? I didn't hear anything he was saying.  He finally threw up his arms, actually left his little shack and grabbed my ticket from me, put it in the slot and the arm lifted.  I know he wasn't thinking anything nice about the (insert your favorite adjective here) lady who couldn't figure out how to leave a parking lot.  

But wait it gets better.  My doctor called me the next day to tell me that she hadn't received the results and would I please check on the status.  I called the local lab and was referred to some sort of central testing result office (I suspect there is a more technical name, but I don't know what it is).  I explained to the probably bored person on the phone that I was looking for my test results.  We went through the familiar dance: date of birth, date of test, address, what kind of test, name of doctor, etc.  I was put on hold for practically forever when said bored person came back and said that there was no test results for me.  I simply wasn't in the database.  How I asked could that be possible? Best they could come up was a patient whose birthday was July 17th, mine is December 17th and her name was also Patti.  Was that me they wanted to know?  Again, insert your favorite descriptive word here that adequately sums up how aggravated I was getting. They also said that the July birthday person had the same doctor as mine.  Probable?  Not likely. My doctor is in Baltimore and what are the chances of two people with the same first name seeing the same doctor in Baltimore.  

Their suggestion was that I called back to the lab here in town to check with them, because they had no records of my having any testing done and perhaps I could just go and have the test done again.  Are you serious?  You know and I know that if I have a second set of testing done, I'm betting money I'd get to pay for the second lab work, even though this was clearly the lab's screw up.

Today, I called the central testing whatever they call themselves and recited chapter and verse who I was and why I was calling. I did reach a very sympathetic person who did take down all the data that was necessary to find me and she came up empty.  So where did my lab work results go?  I did ask this person for her name and she promised to call me later today or first thing tomorrow.

If, after her investigating I still can't be found, it will be easier to have the labs done at Hopkins, since I have a doctor's appointment there on Monday.  Dealing with the local lab and the lack of results will likely make my head spin off - and you do have to pick your battles.  

Lesson learned?  Future lab work  - going to Baltimore to have it down at Hopkins, where I know the chances of my results being lost are slim.

P