It's the little things...

...that make me C R A Z Y!!!

Today. On my "to do list." Three things. Three simple little things.

1) Make an appointment for The Baby to get her teeth cleaned.

2) Make an appointment for my yearly physical.

3) Send thank you notes out.

Three simple things. Bam, bam and bam. Done. Right? Wrong!

Getting an appointment for The Baby was easy. Quick phone call. There is someone new working at the Vet's office. No biggie. The new person didn't know that The Baby was a "she" and not a "he." How would that person know, being new. I don't mind having to go through the whole "badge number, home number, patient's name, etc." with someone new. [Everyone else that works there knows both The Baby and The Boy. This is a small community and the new person who works there will know The Baby and The Boy soon enough.]

My thanks you notes are written. I'll take them up to the post office when I go to the Commissary, shortly.

The phone call - what should have been A SINGLE PHONE CALL - to make my own appointment for a yearly physical... The system here, one centralized number to take care of that... [Supposedly we can do that on-line - make these appointments. For some reason, though, every other doctor at our clinic is listed but for MY doctor. Doesn't it just figure. Grrgh!] I don't know who is in charge but the system needs a total revamp. It would have taken less time for me to get in the truck and drive to the clinic, find a place to park [that challenge is detailed here], and go to the office to make my appointment in person. Next time, that is exactly what I will do. In fact - now that I have my appointment scheduled I will make the appointment for 2011 while I am there.

So, I called the central number to make my appointment. Busy. Called back. Busy. Called again. Still busy. Fine. I'll just call the "speciality clinic" to make my appointment. Busy. I called back. Busy. I called back, again. Still busy. For no less than a half an hour - probably longer - I hit redial. Busy. [The two women who work at the ob/gyn office are always on the phone. I am not convinced that they are assisting patients on the phone - personal calls. Probably.] So, I called the Medical Liaison office to tell them I was not able to get through at either number. The nice young woman - her voice sounded young, so let's assume she was a young woman - was very sweet and said, "You must call the central appointment line, Madam, to shez-uel the ep-oint-mint." Ahh. Thanks. I tried. That line was busy, too. "That is the only number that you can call, Madam." I called again. And called and called. Busy. Forget it. I'll just wait on hold, then and be the next caller assisted. The message repeats itself first in Arabic and then in English. [Why? I clearly pressed "9" for English. No matter.]

Forget it. Impossible to get through. Twice the message stopped and the phone rang - I'm it - my turn - I'm next! Nope. Back to being on hold and waiting. TWENTY FREAKIN' MINUTES!!! I gave up. I called the Medical Liaison office back. The nice young woman I'd spoken to a half hour earlier answered the phone. I told her that I wasn't able to get through. That I had been on hold. That I had spent almost an hour, now, trying to make a single simple appointment. So, what does nice young woman do? PUT ME ON HOLD! She did, however, to her credit, get right back to me. "Madam, I have spoken to them. There are only twelve callers holding." No. I don't think so. I've been on hold with them since I talked to you a half hour ago. Oh, and by the way, what number are YOU calling that YOU can get right through? Can I have that number??? "Please hold." Nice young woman came back a minute later and said, "You want the 'ep-oint-mint' with Dr. FC, correct?" Yes. That is who I want to make an "ep-oint-mint" with. "Do you want morning or afternoon?" I'll take the first "ep-oint-mint" she has available - morning or afternoon - either. "Please hold." A minute later I had my "ep-oint-mint" "shez-euel-ed."

So, if I don't get to make my appointment for 2011 while I am there next month, then at least I know how to avoid making myself C R A Z Y next year. I'll just call the Medical Liaison office.