Petty Vents

[dragnlaw]

My Mom used to make foil bundles of leftovers and float them in a covered pan of simmering water.

ohhh, I LIKE that idea! Mom's are sooo clever!

 

[taxlady]

I have been freezing single serving packets of rice in waxed paper for decades. Before I got a microwave, I used to steam the packets from frozen for serving. Surprisingly, I don't remember ever having any of the rice fell through the steamer. If the rice looks freezer burned, I still steam it. That rehydrates it while heating it and it's quick.

 

[Andy M.]

Medical Appointment Times

For most of my life, setting a medical appointment and getting there on time has been a simple task. You ask for an appointment, they give you a time and that's when you show up.

But we're living much more complex lives now so this process isn't quite so easy.

Now, were are given a medical appointment time and told to arrive 15 minutes earlier.

WHAT?

I consider this a totally unnecessary practice and my primary care doctor agrees. As he said, "Just tell me what time you want me to cross the threshold."

This is a universal practice among the medical offices SO and I frequent here in MA. Does it happen where you are too?

 

[GotGarlic]

My doctors' offices generally ask you to arrive 15 minutes early only if you're a new patient, so you can fill out the paperwork. I try to arrive at least five minutes before the appointment time to allow time to register and I'm usually called back by the nurse within a few minutes.

Doctors don't care about the administrative part, you know

 

[Andy M.]

...Doctors don't care about the administrative part, you know

It doesn't matter that there are different components to the visit. Everyone knows you check-in, sometimes you fill out forms, someone takes your weight and BP, eventually you see the doctor.

Just tell me what time I have to be there for the first thing that is going to happen.

 

[dragnlaw]

In the medical building I used, there was a person at the main entrance, at a table with a computer and phone.

Do you have an appointment? With who? Your name? What time? (of course she's looking up all this on the computer and knows the answers before you can even reply)

Do you have ... symptoms? symptoms? symptoms? symptoms? ad nauseum...
no, I don't. no, I don't no I don't.... arghhhh

then you go to the office.... and wait maybe 5, or max. 10 minutes. (no complaint on this part!)

Before, I must admit that there were usually 6 or 8 people sitting around to see various personal... now there are only 1 maybe 2 and a 3rd waaay down the hall.

 

[Andy M.]

In the medical building I used, there was a person at the main entrance, at a table with a computer and phone.

Do you have an appointment? With who? Your name? What time? (of course she's looking up all this on the computer and knows the answers before you can even reply)

Do you have ... symptoms? symptoms? symptoms? symptoms? ad nauseum...
no, I don't. no, I don't no I don't.... arghhhh

then you go to the office.... and wait maybe 5, or max. 10 minutes. (no complaint on this part!)

Before, I must admit that there were usually 6 or 8 people sitting around to see various personal... now there are only 1 maybe 2 and a 3rd waaay down the hall.

It's always good to see efficiency.

When you originally made the appointment did they give you an appointment time and tell you to arrive even earlier?

 

[dragnlaw]

Yes, they did and do. And it is now so that they can question you on covid and help to keep the building emptier.

they do NOT want you to come earlier!

Unfortunately - 1st time I went during Covid -

a person 2 people ahead of me was having trouble finding where she needed to be - was not even at the right building. By the time the receptionist straightened her out - I ended up being about 5 minutes late!

I mentioned to her while passing, next time, call someone else to take care of the problem and not make the next 5 people late.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

When I saw my PCP last December, I just had to show up as scheduled the same as before Covid. The only difference were the new health protocols. I expect it to be the same when I go in two weeks.

When I was at the dentist last week, I had to call in to the receptionist before I could enter the office. I started to walk in like normal before the note on the door registered. [emoji1] What stopped me for sure, though, was there or four people sitting in the waiting room. It seemed a little too "peopley" to me.

 

[medtran49]

I went today. Wasn't told to show up early. If I had, would have said something because I've always had to wait 15 to 30 minutes, and that happened again today even though there was no one else in waiting room. There was a sign saying no more than 3 people in waiting room, small as it's a single doc practice. I had to use hand sanitizer before going back. They all had on masks and face shields, plus surgical gowns over their clothes. He didn't look at my throat like he usually does either, not that there was anything wrong with me, just a checkup.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

For most of my life, setting a medical appointment and getting there on time has been a simple task. You ask for an appointment, they give you a time and that's when you show up.

But we're living much more complex lives now so this process isn't quite so easy.

Now, were are given a medical appointment time and told to arrive 15 minutes earlier.

WHAT?

I consider this a totally unnecessary practice and my primary care doctor agrees. As he said, "Just tell me what time you want me to cross the threshold."

This is a universal practice among the medical offices SO and I frequent here in MA. Does it happen where you are too?

DH has his annual wellness check on Friday.
We got a text to remind & confirm his appointment
AND
arrive THIRTY MINUTES EARLY!!!!

WHAT!?

Mind you, he's been an established patient with Doctor for 5 years now.
There's never any surprises with this health, he's well maintained.

I would like to World to return to it's normal axis

 

[Kayelle]

"well maintained." If nothing else, we are that.


We have had the same GP Dr. since 2009. He and his staff of three know us both very well, and we're never asked to come early.

He has a single practice so there's never anyone else there in the small office. We always request the last appointment before the lunch hour and he spends nearly an hour with us so, I don't think he eats lunch.



We sure can't complain about him not spending enough time with us! Unlike us, he looks like he doesn't eat much at all. We, on the other hand, are almost always ready to eat, so we are happy to go out for lunch in the "big city". I guess he gets a bathroom break before the next patient.


When we first started going to him (as a couple), I thought I didn't like him as he has the personality of a flea, but I guess he grew on me. I came to realize he just doesn't like to joke around about our health, and like many "brainiacs" he doesn't appreciate folks like us trying our best to entertain him.


He never claims to know all the answers, and is quick to have us referred to a specialist with our insurance.

The bottom line, is I wish everyone could have him "orchestrate" your health care, as he and his staff do a perfect job managing our care.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

"well maintained." If nothing else, we are that. ...

I suppose once we all hit 70 (I'm just a month away...) that's not a bad goal to have. Better than broken down and up on blocks.

..We always request the last appointment before the lunch hour and he spends nearly an hour with us so, I don't think he eats lunch.
...

With my most recent eye exam, my doctor said he needed to switch my right contact to a toric lens because the standard lens he first sized up didn't help my vision. In fact, my old lens worked better. (He said that's because over the years the lens formed itself to the shape of my cornea.) Well, we needed a few sessions to get things just right. I usually ask for the last appointment of the day, and because of Covid those appointments were right around dinnertime. The final trip in, I brought them a dinner bag - homemade lasagna for two, along with a nice garden salad. I could not believe how grateful they were! I like cooking, I like feeding people, so for me it wasn't a big deal. It was to them, though, and it made me feel really good inside.

 

[Kayelle]

I suppose once we all hit 70 (I'm just a month away...) that's not a bad goal to have. Better than broken down and up on blocks.

Boy howdy..you said it.



With my most recent eye exam, my doctor said he needed to switch my right contact to a toric lens because the standard lens he first sized up didn't help my vision. In fact, my old lens worked better. (He said that's because over the years the lens formed itself to the shape of my cornea.) Well, we needed a few sessions to get things just right. I usually ask for the last appointment of the day, and because of Covid those appointments were right around dinnertime. The final trip in, I brought them a dinner bag - homemade lasagna for two, along with a nice garden salad. I could not believe how grateful they were! I like cooking, I like feeding people, so for me it wasn't a big deal. It was to them, though, and it made me feel really good inside.

The ultimate goal is "to feel good inside". Now that's great medicine to be sure.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

bahahaha!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Petty vent for the day: went to bed t midnight; woke up at 5 a.m. Can't get back to sleep. It's gonna be a long day. Guess I'll have to try and think of something yummy to post.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Last week Saturday, about 5pm or so, our door bell rang and a kind passer-by informed me that we had a leak in our drip irrigation.
That was an extreme understatement!
We had a fountain of water shooting a good 3-4 feet into the air and on to the roadway.


I ran to shut down the Rain Bird and jumped on the phone.
I called the Landscaping company that we had just contracted, and of course got their voice-mail. I left an urgent message, I'm sure that I sound like I was in total panic mode, because I was.
Never got a call back, they are open 7 days a week

I called another company, and again, voice-mail with no call back.
The water to our entire property has now been off and we've had high winds and temps already.

I called a company that DH's good buddy advertises for and got a live body!
I was told that it would be $150/hour plus parts.
That's SUPER high for this area! The going rate with all other Landscaping Companies is $95/hour. But whatya gonna do?

The guys showed up the next morning at 8:30.
Accessed the problem, fixed it, turned back on the Rain Bird and checked all of the drips, good to go.
This took all of 15 minutes, I'm not exaggerating in any way shape or form.
I received an invoice via email the following morning for $300

SAY WHAT?

I immediately called to their offices and got voicemail, left a message with no call back!
So today, I called again and spoke with a so-called manager and was told that because of where we live, that is the minimum charge.

OH NO NO NO NO!!!

I was quoted by so-and-so that it would be $150/hour + parts, that's it.
"Hmm. Well, that is the minimum, I really can't change that."

OH NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!


"Well, I guess I could honor what so-and-so quoted you, seeing as she's new here. Just for customer satisfaction."
"How would you like to pay for that? I can take your credit card right now."

I bet you can FINE!
I paid the $150 and asked the woman on the other end of the line to please email me a receipt of paid in full.

My blood is still boiling!

DH said that there was no way that he could have handled that without blowing up.
"I honestly don't know how you stay so calm and deal with these things as well as you do."

Now, do you think that we'll EVER call this company again for anything?

 

[medtran49]

That's BS to say the least. I'd be leaving Google and Yelp reviews.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

That's BS to say the least. I'd be leaving Google and Yelp reviews.

You betcha med!
DH advised that we wait a few days so that it's not blaringly obvious where this review is coming from.
I no longer have many Social Media accounts, but I'm going to make an exception for this.

The bad words that came out of my mouth! I tell ya!
My blood is still boiling!!!!

 

[dragnlaw]

Hit LinkedIn and Facebook as well.

I calculate $150 per hour, 15 min = $37.50
Plus $60 x 2 for travel (there and back)
Plus emergency/non-customer surcharge, lets be generous, an extra 20.

$37.50 + 120 + 20 = $177.50 total

MINUS aggravation $27.50 = $150.00 Spot on!