Hospital Confusion

So I think I confused some people with my visit tot he hospital today. But it is the source of another frustration, so I can clear it up, AND vent the hell out of my insurance!So right off the bat: NO. my back is not "so bad I had to go to the hospital". So never fear. But the reason I went is here:

So some of you know I have had a bit of a runaround with my insurance, since we changed insurance companies recently, and I can't see my regular doctor any more at the office I loved loved loved. That is, seems no one is taking new patients, and despite being assigned one, and then choosing one from the directory, I was informed they are not taking new patients and to find a different one. The insurance company finally assign me one that will take me...then that office promptly tells me they will not take patients with BACK PAIN ISSUES. I kid you not. Through three doctors (well four, since I tried to go back to one twice), and none will see me to help ease my suffering. So the insurance company tells me my only recourse is to go to Urgent Care. In the meantime, they say, I can self-refer to a chirpractor, which is how I ended up with my chiro. But I wanted a second opinion, and with the recent relapse and inability to get my chiro to call me back in the last 24 hours of pain...

So this morning I went to NW Hospital, which is the Urgent Care facility associated with the doctor-i-have-been-assined-to-yet-never-ever-seen-who-won't-see-me-because-i-have-back-issues. I walk up to the help desk and ask for Urgent Care, and she points me to the office right there--there is no confusion about where she pointed me to. It was within view. Couldn't miss it. But only after I had seen two nurses and handed my insurance info over to some other woman who barely spoke English, did they tell me was actually the Emergency Room, and it was going to cost me $100 copay instead of the $50 copay the Urgent Care clinic would have cost (and when I ask about it, I get the afore-blogged-about chuckle and walk-away). Additionally, I am informed that due to triage policies in effect, my horrible experience of feeling like not ONE person listened to me despite having to tell my symptoms over and over again to three separate people, is entirely typical. They basically know what they are going to tell you to do no matter what you try to tell them, just based on the symptoms, to keep a high turnover. So the doctor did nearly NOTHING, prescribed pain meds and muscle relaxants, and referred me to someone else. Oh and I should mention...he said my chiropractor probably knew how to deal with this better than anyone, if there is no fracture involved (not that anyone confirmed if there was one or not at the emergency room, but anyway...)

BTW, I did get in to see my chiro. He fit me in at the end of his day, and I brought Chris to meet him and see the office I have been going to every week. Dr. John Tong is his name, BTW http://www.wholehealthseattle.com Anyway, I asked him about the meds they gave me, as I feared muscle relaxants would undermine my work with him, which he confirmed was the case. He is confounded as I am as to why my vertebrae pops out so easily. But the good news is it pops right back in again...I guess? :) He gave me some new more intense and frequent exercises, and even more orders to ice ice ice, many times a day. The goal is to keep it in place long enough for the muscles around it to strengthen and heal it into place. He knows I am on a 30-day deadline to my holiday, and we are working with that in mind.

I left feeling still sore and stiff, but better than I was,as always. And a renewed sense that he is still the best course of action for my spinal health right now.

But don't think we didn't fill those prescriptions...*wink*