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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be pissed off at their being pissed off with me?

22 replies

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 09:13

I have severe SPD and my lift has let me down for my physio appointment. It cant be helped, its for a very good reason and is just one of those things. But I am having a v bad day, DH is having to drag me up the stairs to the loo so walking to the doctors it out of the question.

So I ring first thing when they open to ask if there is a number I can ring the community physio on to a)cancel the appointment and b)see if there is anyway she can see me at home. No there isnt, they cant give out the number, they will tell her when she arrives for my appointment that I am not going and get her to ring me.

Ok, not ideal, especially from the physio's POV, but better than nothing.

But I didnt expect a bollocking from the doctors receptionist for not ringing sooner! Its a monday so they have been closed all weekend and I didnt know until today (well last night at 9:30 pm actually, but still...) that I couldnt get there. I am not being a PITA, I have severe SPD and in pain all the fucking time. Anything, anything at all that will help, I will do it. So I am not cancelling my appointment on a whim! And if there was a way I could call the physio I would, but they wont give me the number!

I asked who and where I was supposed to ring before 8:00am this morning when they opened and she couldnt anwer, just went on and on about wasting appointment time.

Made me feel miles better that did, so thanks for that :(

OP posts:

bubblebabeuk · 28/02/2011 09:16

can you not get a taxi?

Original poster

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 09:18

I knew someone would ask that :o

No, its far too close for that, I very much doubt I would find a taxi willing to drive to the doctors 3 streets away, and if they did it would cost a fortune.

OP posts:

WhoAteMyCrisps · 28/02/2011 10:10

I'm pretty sure no taxi company would refuse you, and as it's such a short distance you would only pay whatever the meter starts at.

But i guess that it's not relevant anyway as you have cancelled.

By the way YANBU...how on earth can you cancel an appointment before they actually open??

worraliberty · 28/02/2011 10:14

Just for future reference a taxi company will drive you where you want and charge for a standard mile.

RunsWithScissors · 28/02/2011 10:16

It would be so tempting to tell her you called on Saturday to cancel, but for some reason no one answered the phone, then give her a hard time about why no one was in the surgery to answer... maybe that would get it through to her how unreasonable she is being making that comment.

Here's hoping she's just having a bad Monday morning and this isn't her default setting.

mmsmum · 28/02/2011 10:16

I don't know what pita and spd mean.

A taxi would come for you, too late for today but worth remembering for next time. Taxi company's deal with this every day, that's what they are there for. It would cost a fortune for such a short journey and even if it did it you have said you would do anything that helps.

Hopefully she will call you and maybe come out. YANBU to expect better from the receptionist.

BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 10:18

the taxi would take you. in my town the local companies charge between £3 and £3.50 to go from anywhere to anywhere in the town. even the shortest distances are £3 but they will still take you.

thunderbird69 · 28/02/2011 10:19

If they haven't got anyone to fill your appt you may still be able to use it (unless the time has already passed).

Can you try to get a taxi or neighbour to help you? Or can you see if the surgery have a wheelchair that your dh could go and collect to take you there? Seems a shame to miss it as you are in so much pain.

And yes, the receptionist was very rude and had no reason at all to have a go at you.

TallulahDoesTheHula · 28/02/2011 10:20

Have they got a wheelchair there that your DH can nip down and pick up to take you to the appt in?

If not then I'd def get a taxi. Most taxi firms will take the job and it wont cost a great deal.

If its only 3 streets away and the only reason you are not getting a taxi (which wouldnt be much £) is because you dont want to spend the money or phone them to see if they would want the job, then I can see a bit why they are pissed off (they must know how close by you live)

Organise a taxi and call back and say you've sorted transport and will make the appt after all

Original poster

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 10:29

The physio just rang me and was absolutely fine. I apologised for cancelling and she wasnt at all fussed, said it was no problem. I briefly mentioned the taxi and she was horrified that I would even consider it for such a short distance! She has made an appointment for next week (life allowing) and said if I cant make it then no problem, but she is working on her own atm, so cant do house calls for the next week. If I cant make that one then she will arrange a home visit for the week after.

She did say that there isnt much she can do, apart from keep an eye on me, so missing the appointment wont make any difference to my "treatment" as there isnt any, apart from the exercises I am already doing.

I told her about being told off for not cancelling sooner and she sort of sighed in a "I wish I could say what I am thinking" way, and said I wasnt to worry at all, and to call as soon as I could if I ever need to cancel but to not worry at all about being a pain, so that has helped :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 10:30

LIFT allowing :o

OP posts:

verytellytubby · 28/02/2011 10:37

Taxi.

JaneS · 28/02/2011 10:40

Oh, I'm so glad your physio was nice. It seems, ahem, not very intelligent to get cross with someone with recently-developed mobility problems who says they're struggling with a lift!

(Btw, I quite often get a taxi for just a few streets as I often need to bring extremely heavy loads home. They are always very nice and understanding - I've never had negative comment and like you, the first time I thought wrongly that they would be funny about it.)

herbietea · 28/02/2011 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 10:45

I do have crutches and staying in bed is not an option sadly. When I say "dragged" I sit on the stairs and DH takes my weight as I pull myself up as my legs cant push my up. It sounds worse than it is, although it is still pretty bad. Getting to the loo when he isnt here is something of an epic, but there isnt alot I can do about it really.

To be perfectly honest, this is the third time I have had this and I accept that I just have to get on with it. I was just shocked at the stupidity of the receptionist having a go at me for not ringing to cancel an appointment when there was no one there to take me call!

OP posts:

Original poster

Bogeyface · 28/02/2011 10:46

*my call.

I really should proofread shouldnt I?

OP posts:

solooovely · 28/02/2011 11:16

I found that never opening my legs helped (oooeeer!) when getting in and out of the bath/cars etc. I suppose the physio has told you all this anyway.

zipzap · 28/02/2011 11:26

my doctor's surgery has recently started to have a text number available as well as their ordinary number so that if you can't make an appointment you can text in to cancel it.

very handy if you find out and can't get through on the phone! If your gp is anything like mine it is a nightmare to get through when they open and can be difficult throughout the day.

might be worth suggesting to them next time they give you some grief...

they also send out text reminders for all appointments and for general stuff when they need to update records or when you are due to go in for something (vaccination, smear etc) which is useful.

Imnotaslimjim · 28/02/2011 11:56

Glad to hear you've got it sorted with the physio.

One tip for you for the stairs - come down them backwards. Its much less of a swing on the hip to do and so much less painful. I had SPD with my DD and spent the last 6 weeks downstairs as we simply couldn't get me up there anymore. I didn't leave the hosue for 3 weeks before she was born and had ELCS at 38 weeks

Has she given you a support belt? If not, ask for one as they do make a difference, and as Solooovely says, try not to open your legs if you can help it, and roll over in bed to get up, rather than turning

TRIsTheArseEndOfAMouldyBanana · 28/02/2011 11:59

glad you got it sorted but taxi next time silly

nomoreheels · 28/02/2011 11:59

Our local taxi firm starts at £1.50 for the first mile and they will happily do local supermarket runs all day long, as they only take 5-10 minutes and it's a constant stream of small fares. As long as you pay the minimum fare I can't see why any firm wouldn't take you, even if it's a short distance. You could always tip a bit if you felt like it (e.g. I round my fare up to £2 as they usually help me get a bag or two out of the boot.)

SeeJaneKick · 28/02/2011 12:29

Can't see why the physio was horrified at a taxi for a short distance! Better that than no treatment surely?

I get them often due to my bad back..they're used to it...elderly people do it a lot too.

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