A little less than a year ago I made a decision to make a switch, a switch of medical practices that is. For years I had been unhappy with several of the doctors in my OB/GYN group (I have written about this before – especially after JSL’s birth). Still I stayed. Why? Well, when I was pregnant with NHL a new doctor came into the practice. This doctor was young, fresh, a woman and also pregnant herself. She actually sat, listened to me and did not rush from the room. In addition to her, I loved the staff at the office. I stayed out of pure laziness and knowing what I was in for at this practice.

What finally put me over the edge was what happened when I was pregnant with JSL. Numerous times the other doctors were uncaring, got nasty and turned their ear the other way which landed me in surgery. When I went to make an appointment with the doctor I loved for my follow up exam last year, I was told she would only be in the far away office. Very odd.

Lucky for me, when we were at a craft event for kids one weekend, I heard a familiar voice. I looked up and there was the doctor that I really liked. She asked if I had heard the news. After five years, she was moving to a new practice because she could not tolerate what the other three doctors were doing to the practice. I was stunned. I got the information about the new practice and waited a few weeks to call. The new practice had a policy that I had to be seen even if it was not time for my annual visit. So in the early fall I went in and chatted with my doctor in her new office. When I switched my files over I was able to read through them and had some questions for her. She agreed that there were several instances that indicated nobody listened after JSL’s birth. Signs were there on the placenta that it may not be intact. Yet, for weeks they allowed me to bleed and never once looked at the report right in my chart. It sealed the deal that I had made the right decision. Clearly the other doctors had become too busy with things to take a patient who knew something was wrong seriously.

About a month ago, I finally had my annual GYN visit scheduled at the new office. To say that I am not a fan of the nurse the takes you back would be an understatement. I truly do miss the ladies from my old office that did these things. After that I went back to the waiting room. 45 minutes later I was called to the desk. I was told that my doctor was off at a delivery, even though she was not on call. I was offered to see one of the other doctors, but I declined. That’s the beauty of not being pregnant, I can wait and see the person I want to and nobody can say boo.

Last week, I had to cancel the make up appointment on Tuesday. Thank goodness I did since JSL’s temeprature spiked to 104 Monday evening. Today I am supposed to go again. My grandmother is watching JSL, so he will not have to endure waiting with me at the office during his typical nap time. The problem, I just do not want to go. I want to call and cancel. I do not want to deal with the witchy nurse or any of the rest of this.

These are the days that men should be happy they are not a woman and do not have to think about this "fun" event.