Last
Wednesday, I called and left a message at the old clinic about moving our
embies to the new clinic. See, at the old clinic you
couldn't actually talk to a human unless you were making an
appointment - you had to leave a message. I left a message with the IVF
nurse. I didn't get a call back.
On Friday I went to call and leave
another message, but it was after hours and they've now changed their system so
that you can't leave a message after hours. Ooookay.
Monday - I left another one.
Tuesday, I called the appointment line and begged to talk to whomever I
needed to talk to. These front desk people know who I am. They know we've been
through a shit ton of failed crap and had to look me in the eye every time I was in there. They put me through to the head of
embryology. I had to leave a message.
When I woke up this morning I was
pissed. I just woke up knowing that this shit was not going down anymore.
If I didn't get a call back, I was showing up on their doorstep. I
went to work and told my friend/coworker/cool-aunt-like figure about it. She
called her sister, the lawyer. The sister said she'd write us up a letter
if we wanted. SCORE! The message I left today went like this:
"This is
Lisa ... again. Short of calling every day or pursuing legal action, I
don't know what to do anymore. It's now been 9 days since I first
contacted the clinic in regards to moving my embryos to another facility and I
have not even received the courtesy of a return phone call. Please call
me back immediately."
I heard back within 2 hours.
I HATE being that girl. I
suck at being a bitch, but I was SHAKING by the time I called them today.
He had a bunch of excuses about everything going on over there (he was
alluding to the turnover hell), but I didn't care. Heck, he even said he
got the message last Wednesday! I can't imagine taking more than 24 hours
to call one of my patients back, much less NINE EFFING DAYS! It's medical
karma as far as I'm concerned. I always call my patients back right away,
clinicians working with me should do the same. And for Pete's sake,
it's our frozen future children!!! I wasn't asking for a
damned prescription or something. They are the living creatures
we made!! Ugh, so angry.
So, embies' first road trip will
be August 31st. The clinic waiving the storage fee (a whole 3 weeks
worth) since he screwed up. How nice (sarcasm drips here).
My boss was fascinated by the
whole thing. I mean really, it is kind of weird. We're picking up
our frozen future children, loading them in our SUV, and bringing them to a new home where they will be
thawed, transferred, and hopefully grow into one baby. Boss lady was a
little shocked that my friend's sister was going to help us lawyer up until I
said, "Well, what the hell else are we supposed to do? It's not like
you can put out an Amber alert on embryos!" Then she lost it.
She started laughing and said, "Would they call it an Ember
alert?"
I don't mind the laughing.
It really is kind of funny if you let go and look at it as an outsider.
I love my coworkers. I really do.
I would have been beyond livid. I hate when businesses ignore their customers. Even more so when they are doctors. I hate being that person too but you did the right thing. They need to know how frustrating it is. Sorry you had to deal with that.
ReplyDeleteICLW #41
Praying for a safe road trip! Glad that you finally got a hold of your old clinic...they should have understood that nobody messes with a mamma!
ReplyDelete9 days?!? That is ridiculous. I start to panic if I have not heard back in a few hours. I think you were incredibly patient to give them that long. Hope the embies have a safe road trip!
ReplyDeleteWow... I think you showed incredible patience. I would not have been that restrained for sure. I have to threaten my first clinic with legal action when they weren't giving me my records in the legal time allowed. They fedexed those suckers to me once I made them aware that I knew my rights under the law. I hope your next clinic is better. There are good clinics out there. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI had an embryo hostage crisis not too long ago an had to go full bitch-o grandé On the embryo donation company. It's like FUCKKKKKKK we just jumped 9million hurdles to get these embryos now I finally have them and there's still hurdles? Why don't these hurdles stop?!? I'm glad the crisis was averted! Smooth sailing from here on out!!! (I think we can probably agree that's not actually likely, but it's my best attempt at being positive, we can hope though!)
ReplyDeleteWow. Just wow. Not surprised to hear that he had a million and one excuses when he called you back but this is completely inexcusable. It's too bad that there isn't an Angie's list for fertility clinics, because this one should be avoided.
ReplyDeleteGlad that the snowbabies are in transit and I hope for nothing but good things at the new clinic.
9 days! You have crazy amounts of restraint! That wasn't even a bitchy voicemail that you left! I hope the trip goes smoothly and the embies are safe and sound on the other end :) :)
ReplyDeleteThe more I hear about your old clinic...the happier I am you are moving on. Wow....9 days is rediculous!!!!! But the Ember alert is pretty darn funny!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness it's happening. I would have LOST MY SHIT.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for persistence and patience! So glad you're changing clinics. Oh, and--I want to work where you work. My coworkers would never come up with Ember Alert jokes. You work with some pretty awesome people.
ReplyDeleteEmber Alert! Love it.
ReplyDeleteIt's shocking it took the clinic nine days to call you back. Completely unacceptable. I'm glad you're moving on!
That's CRAZY! I was SO angry for you while reading this! I hope the transit from one clinic to another with your future babies goes well tomorrow. Praying for you.
ReplyDeleteHehehe Love the Ember alert!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they didn't get back to you for that long! Good for you for being the "bitch" and finally getting taken care of. Sucks that it had to get to that though.