how would ya guys deal with *this* asshole? (since I can't just hire Jayne) I went to the local shit-hole excuse for a hospital ER (A&E for ya Brits) a couple of days ago, and they had some doc I have never seen before (it's a small town, I have 5 kids I care for, I have seen 'em all) and I was lying on the gurney clutching my stomach in serious pain, because I have some flu and I have been coughing and having the runs and hurting all over and it hurts when I breathe (like a tightness) and my nasal passages are *raw* from top to bottom...and on top of that have an ear infection. So I am lying on the gurney, like I said, and Doctor Patch Adams comes in and says in a very condescending, sarcastic tone (and note, I am 36 but look 24 easily) "Are you taking acting at WIU!? [the local university] Are you studying acting? Because you are doing good job of acting - pretending being sick. You must be an A student in acting." (Note, this was before he even laid a finger on my to examine me. I do have an anxiety disorder - and he was looking over my record when he said this. I have almost dies *twice* becase serious illnesses that required major surgery got dismissed as "anxiety" or "depression". That last time that happened, the Doctor I had actually came to see me in the hospital and *cried* over my bed saying "Sorry, I am so sorry.") I think this Caribbean medical reject was doing just that. He saw "anxiety", and well... (This few here with anxiety disorders know what I mean, about this kind of dismissive treatment.) I fucking wanted to grab the chair and hit him. I am not a violent man, but I really wanted to pound the fuck out of him with the chair. He didn't run ANY tests on my - blood, urine, he did look in my ear after saying "Let's see this so-called ear infrection you have!" and then he gave me *2* Tylenol, and I didn't take them and just walked out. I went back yesterday. The first thing the young rent-a-doc on duty (that's what the nurse called hem before - they get these out of towner's to fill in) said was, in a demanding voice "Are you taking your medicine he gave you!? No! Why did you walk out without your medicine (2 Tylenol)!? No wonder you are sick!" So I went OUT OF TOWN to a hospital, where the doc there is a lady I have seen twice in the past 4 years and she's usually pretty harsh on my myself. Short with me, acts all put out, etc. But this time SHE said I had BRONCHITIS - just like O2C has, oh irony! - and when I sheepishly asked what I could take for my cough, she said "Oh, you are in bad shape if you don't get this cough under control - I am going to give you some Hycotus cough syrup. It's narcotic, and I don't prescribe it often, but you really need something to get this under control. See you regular doc if this gets worse you need to watch it!" (I would have seen him by now, 'cept the drive and weather). So I am gong to see the patient Advocate today at the hospital and make a complaint. Any other advice? How would you folks handle this? Short of manslaughter. Which if I was a less peaceable man, wouldn't be off the table. (But alas, I am.)
I probably woulda handled that right on the spot. No way I woulda took that crap from that asshole doctor. Right after the first comment from that mug I woulda said.."Are you fucking kidding me or what!?" But your plan seems ok.
I would have calmly explained the definition of the word "pissmidget" and how it pertained to the doctor's existance.
I would have said, "You run some fucking blood tests and examine me right now! " I mean... WHAT THE FUCK?! I'm getting pissed off just reading that post... I think I'm leaving the thread before I explode all my anger all over WordForge!
Would have punched him/her in the throat and as he/she is gasping for breath i would say you're a pretty good actor. I'm not very friendly when I'm sick.
I wish I wasn't such a pussy...if I had any guts I would have just said "And did you study comedy? Because I'd get my money back..." I wish I was a big-ass 300lb 6ft4in brick house not afraid of jail, not a 125lbs 5ft4in scrawny Hobbit...I think people think they can get away with more around me because I am so small and diminutive and non-threatening... I swear, I am NOT a violent person, but I wanted to pound this fucked to a pulp, I really did. I wish I could sue. I hate frivolus lawsuits but in this case I just want this guy to pay...he was really, really out of line and unprofessional. We'll see...I am headed back there (the hospital) in about 30 minutes. I wish I could sue. I know it's frivolous but I just want this guy to pay. I do have anxiety...it says so in my record, which he read...I claim he was "intimidating me" on purpose! LOL!!!!
You should have insisted on another doctor. That is absolutely unacceptable. You can talk to the patient advocate...I'm not sure if it will help though. You can make an appointment to talk to the hospital administrator. You can write letters to the editors of your local papers...in the vein you can also write the papers and tv news agencies about doing a human interest story on the discrimination against people with anxiety disorders are facing in the local hospitals. You can utilize this service: http://www.hospitalcomplaint.com/how.html In fact, you may want to do that first and get their advice. Finally, you could consider a free consult with a lawyer and see what they think...perhaps the ones around here would like to chime in.
I doubt you can sue unless you had it on tape and could prove that his comments caused you distress. But that deal is not about being a big dude who can beat up people. I a slim dude and when I was young I was pretty short. Grew in 11th grade. But a war of words does not require big muscles. You coulda cursed him from top to bottom and I really doubt anything physical woulda transpired. I understand if it was a stranger in the street but this was a doctor at work. Since you are not a violent or big person you gotta stock up on good comebacks and a glazed stare. That part in Taxi Driver...you talkin' to me. He was working out his stuff. He tried a few different lines. He practiced. The reason why that scene is so memorable is because it was so real. many people saw themselves in that scene.
Good for you for following up with a complaint to the patient Advocate. Maybe this incompetent asshole will at least get tagged in a file somewhere for future complaints because Dr. Jerk sounds like a malpractice suit waiting to happen. I've got my own ER horror story and I'd imagine a lot of people on this board do too. Sometimes it seems as if the bottom of med school no-hopers has been rounded up and sentenced to ER where they inflict themselves on hapless patients.
This guy sounds exactly like this ass-hat dentist that worked at Fort Rucker. The Army desparately needs dentists, so they wouldn't fire him. Anyway, he would curse at his staff, insult patients, and had a generally foul, mean temperment. One time he asked me "do you have any problems I need to know about before I treat you?" I said "no." Then his assistant asked me if I was allergic to anything, and I said "yes, Penecillin." He blew up and screamed "I thought you said you didn't have any problems?" I calmly said "it's not a problem unless somebody tries to give me some."
I would have called him a twatwaffle and a whorebagel. I swear, the wimmin of wordforge come up with the best insults!!
While I probably would have ripped the guys' lungs out, there's something better, much better, you can do: File a complaint with your state medical board about Dr. Jackass. You have no idea how painful and annoying this can be — the state medical board investigates every complaint, even the wackjob ones — and if they find cause, can pull his ticket. Oh for those of you obsessed with my weight: I've dropped 26 pounds now since August 1, this ahead of my surgery on Wednesday (the pre-surgery weight loss improves the odds of not dying on the table) so, yes, I stopped eating live children. You may now return to your normal threads explaining why mall shootings are good for thinning out the human herd.
Even by my own standards, I'm a really irritable son of a bitch when I'm sick, and I won't see a doctor unless I'm suffering beyond my ability to tolerate, in which case, my......self control would be somewhat compromised. Can't be held responsible for what might happen to an ER doctor who fucked with me at the wrong moment.
Eh... He has a point. Outside of the nurses and Alphaman, I bet I've been around more critically injured people on this board than the rest of you combined. It has been my experience, and my mom's experience (20 years as a beside nurse in a Level I ER and then managing said ER for the last 15 years), that most truly sick and hurting people do not wail and gnash their teeth. In fact, that's the first thing you look for in a possible drug seeker. Sure, there are exceptions, but the rule is that when you're really, really fuckin' hurtin', most people just lie there, unable to think, unable to move, unable to scream. Just my $0.02.
I thought the fear of litigation made American doctors test for everything they could think of? Official complaint with the state medical board sounds good: ties him up in all sorts of shit without you looking like a money-grabbing douchebag.
