How Annoying

So I spent about 2 hours (incl 40 minutes spent driving across Jhb) yesterday evening not getting an ECG. That's right, NOT getting one. It's a long story ...

I have the most fantastic doctor in Joburg, Dr Lindi Kaplan. She's a Homeopathic, Chinese Herbalist, Accupuncturist & GP. Yes, I'm into the plinky-plonky stuff - it's cause my mommy's a Reiki Master ;) Either way I can't even remember when I last had anti-biotics and I'm thrilled by that.

So, now I need a full medical & ecg for insurance purposes. Lindi works from home and doesn't have an ecg machine. No problem she says, she has an arrangement with Sunninghill Hospital's casualty unit. "Cool, but can I rather go to Morningside cause Sunninghill is rather out of the way." "No Problem, I'll just write this handy doctor's note and explain the situation, it should be fine."

That's what you think! So this afternoon after work I head over to Morningside Clinic. As soon as I walk in and explain the situation the woman there tells me they don't deal with insurance at all - that's who it's got to billed to, you see. Okay, fine, too much hassle. It's still early enough in the year that the traffic isn't up to usual Joburg standards so I'll head over to Sunninghill - a little extra drive, but Lindi has an arrangement there so I'm sure it'll be less hassle. Wrong.

I arrive at Sunninghill which is possibly the worst sign-posted hospital I've been too - okay, I haven't been to many, but I'm thrilled I wasn't in any kind of mortal danger! Anyway, after I eventually parked in the right place and found the entrance, there's no separate one for casualty, I went to get my ecg.

So here's their process: You go into casualty, they give you a little form and you go back outside to wait in the reception area for them to "open your file". This takes a while ... long enough to bleed out, I'm sure. So I dutifully fill out the questionaire when it's eventually my turn. This is where things get complicated. You have to fill out the details of the person responsible for the bill, it's my insurance ... not an option, apparently. I try to explain that Lindi has an arrangement with them. The lady I'm filling the form in for doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about. I try calling Lindi. She's on leave till the 15th. So I leave my message and head for my car. I'm giving up in frustration.

As I'm walking, my phone rings & it's Lindi. I turn and head back inside. Apparently I need to speak to Dr Tebogo - or something? The line is shaky, she's at Chapman's Peak in Cape Town. So I get sent back into casualty to speak to the person in charge. Apparently Dr Tebogo no longer works there. Fantastic, why am I even surprised ? So Lindi chat's to the Sister-in-Charge. Apparently I just have to chat to my insurance broker (luckily, in this case, my uncle) and find out what to fill out on the form.

So I chat to my uncle. We figure it out, I finish filling in the form and join the queue in reception once again. So, eventually I have my turn, the new guy on duty punches my details into their computer and gives me my folder. I head back into casualty.

I get given a bed and told to get comfortable. Then after waiting a few minutes, I get told that another department has borrowed their ecg machine so do I mind waiting while they find another one ? No problem, I've been here so long already anyway. So I wait, surrounded by the sounds of babies crying and other emergency room type sounds. Hospitals are strange places. Eventually my ecg machine arrives. Now, I've done one of these once before and this machine doesn't look quite right to me. I point out the fact that I need quite a number of different types of ecg and show the nurse the insurance request forms. She reads thru it and seems confused. She disappears to check it with a doctor.

This is where she tells me that they only have a resting ecg machine and that just won't do for what I need, I need to go to a cardiologist. Fantastic. So I get my insurance forms and leave. An entire evening wasted, spent waiting with no result.

So I went home, did laundry, heated up soup and watched House. Not the most ideal evening.

Oh, and I got a mail from Bean yesterday. It was nice and mature. It was strange. It was an email from someone I loved and who loved me for 2 and a half years that had almost no emotion, that was purely functional. It was strange. I know we'll have to speak sometime to sort out things like the apartment we own together and that'll be really hard. So for now I'm greatful it's just email.