You have such lovely bedside manner

If you have a job, especially dealing with the public and most especially if dealing with people seeking health care, whether you like it or not, put on a friendly face. If you don't feel compassion and or caring, then fake it. Anyone going through some medical procedure doesn't need your loathsomeness.

I have some mysterious affliction and over the last couple months have endured some testing. First came two MRIs, now it is a series of ultrasounds at the Cardiologists. Ultrasounds are fairly nonintrusive, but can to uncomfortable. There is also a bit of nervous tension leading up to such a test.

My previous one was of my heart. It took perhaps 15-20 minutes and the technician was a lady that couldn't have been nicer. She was funny, she was comforting, she was patient with the patient.

Not so today. First I was put off by the waiting about. My appointment was made for 11:30. They arbitrarily changed it to 11:20. Fortunately they called and told me this. They also told me to be there 15 minutes ahead of my appointment time. Fine.

I arrived at one minute past 11:00. I signed in and took a seat and almost immediately the person at the counter called my name. I started to get up, but they waved me back. She said, "Someone will be out right away to take you back."

I am not sure of their definition of right away. My definition is "right away". I sat there in anticipation and the clock ticked on. Right away had become 15 minutes and then it was the time of my scheduled appointment. I had been anticipation almost 20 minutes by then.

I now really expected the call to come quickly. The clock on the wall ticked on. 11:30 came and went, and I still sat and waited. I was beginning to think they forgot me. Other people had been taken back, but I was ignored. Finally at 11:40 my name was called. Apparently right away meant in about 40 minutes.

I was surprised to see my caller was male, I had only see female technicians in the past (my wife had had several tests before her knee surgery). I followed him not the back, but he walked so fast ahead of me I temporarily lost view of where he went. Now, first rule should be, the technicians stays near the patient and makes certain they know where to go.

He popped out of a door way and leaned against the frame, so I found him. I went into that room. He didn't speak a word, not a how are you, not a hello, not a come in. He looked like a Pakistani or Indian, maybe he was lax in our language, although those are countries that do speak English. Now I know some people will think this politically incorrect, but the truth is I find a lot of people from these cultures are just rude, I guess we are the wrong caste or something.

"Lay down on the bed," he snapped. That was all he had said so far.

I looked at the bed. Hmm, which way does he want me, on my back, on my belly, on my side? Seemed like he should have been less abrupt and more guiding. I had to ask. "On my back?" I asked.

"Yes, on back."

I lay down on my back.

"Turn toward the wall," he ordered.

He meant toward my left, so I rolled over toward that direction. Now he sounded perturbed. "No," he said, "on your back."

Good golly, man, what do you want. I lay on my back and turned my head toward the wall. This seemed to satisfy him. Why didn't you just say that, man? He began rolling the wand over my neck for a while the machine behind urged and roared.

"Turn the other way," he grumped.

I turned my head to the right and he rubbed the wand about that side of my neck. He seemed to take more time on their side than the other and I don't know what he hit in there, but it hurt. He kept pressing as he wanted and my neck kept hurting. Finally he stopped and said, "Your done."

Laying on the table I thought of telling him his bedside manner left a slot to be desired, but then I remembered I have another test on Monday and what if I got this guy again? I didn't want revenge, so I said nothing.

I don't know what he did to me, but when I stood up I almost fell right down. I fought the feeling, but I was very off center walking out of that place. I felt like a drunk and wondered if I would make it. I've felt weird all day since.

I really really hope I get a decent person come Monday. I also see my doctor on Tuesday. I wonder if someone will tell me what my problem is?