Well, it’s here. September one. My first day of being on Medicare. I’m still waiting for this card and that, but I’m pretty sure I’m set.
(What do you mean: you’re pretty sure you’re set?)
After the endless hassle of sorting out Medicare, nine recent PT appointments, one MRI, four orthopedic appointments, four acupuncture appointments, and a trip to the periodontist, it’s no wonder sewing and blogging have slowed considerably.
(It’s my right hip. It’s okay for now).
Plus the book. Did I mention it launches on September 5?
But I’m here to tell a Boomer tale.
This week found me waiting (and waiting and waiting) to be called for one of those orthopedic appointments. By some freak of oversight, I’ve left my phone home so the time really drags.
The administrators of the new portal for my health care have taken it upon themselves to tell people to arrive a half hour early, a directive that is both confusing and insulting. Even though I now understand they’re building in a half-hour cushion, I can’t help myself and show up early for the earlier stated time, meaning I’m forty minutes early instead of my usual say, twenty.
I watch people come in after me and go through the doors to their appointments. One after another after another. Aggravating to say the least. I’m forty minutes early and my doctor is thirty-five minutes late. Ugh.
But wait! That’s not the story. That’s just the scene.
In comes an older guy (and by older I mean roughly my age). He tells the receptionist that he inadvertently erased a message from the office and was here to find out what it had said.
Do you hear this? Not just the land line part. The showing up rather than calling back part.
This guy chose to get in his car, park, ride the elevator four stories, and walk into the office to speak to a human being rather than wait twenty to forty minutes on hold after wading through an endless electronic directory, possibly to be told he had called the wrong branch of the practice?
It was startling. It was telling.
And I totally got it.
Its an unbelievable amount of patience and empathy that you have. I bet that ol’ guy doesn’t have “The Comfort of Fabric” 🙂
Being older is filled with these moments of recognition, don’t you find?
Like sensing other’s pain? yes and no, for me. I am resisting acknowledging any age-related stuff. But I do recognize my resistance.
And I am starting to recognize why maybe spending the day para-sailing on one’s eightieth birthday makes a lot sense!
Oh, I can totally relate to all of this Dee (except the thrill of having a book of mine come out!). I recently had some x-rays done and was told to go back to the waiting room, that they would call me to have the doctor go over them. I thought he said that he’d call me with results, but I thought that must have changed. Forever the door opened and shut taking back over a dozen patients. Finally, I caught one of the nurses when the door opened and asked how much longer…he went to check…well, yeah…it turns out that the x-ray tech was new and no, I was supposed to leave and get a call. We sat there for 45 minutes for nothing. Thank goodness we were able to just take a deep breath and realize no problem, we have nowhere to be anyway. But, watching all of the very much hurting people in the waiting room before and after my appointment was really rough. Empathy hurts.
I won’t even touch on paperwork (medical and otherwise) life, except to say that I understand and wish you well in that and in whatever is up with your hips (understand that one too. geez). I too would love to just talk to a real person who KNOWS the correct answers. Poor guy.
Celebrate BIG on the 5th, you have earned it.
I can’t wait to order your book (it’s on my calendar … as if I’d forget)
Our current boomer-biz has been scheduling and going to a series of vax appointments … Covid, then flu, then RSV … spaced two weeks apart, because we can spare the time
P.S. Don and I just started getting Social Security (talk about feeling old) … so when our kids thanked us for paying for the vacation house this year, I thanked them in return since their FICA contributions are what’s funding our monthly Social Security “checks” (and now we don’t have to pay directly for our Medicare premiums … woo hoo)
I’m still waiting for a more recent vaccine but maybe I shouldnt be! I started my SS early, so it’ll be coming out of that for me as well.
And thank you re: book. I value your opinion about writing.
I keep hearing there is a newest vaccine to keep up with the newest covid. It’s too early for my next one, But, flu shots are out this month. Yay.
Your book has been on my calendar too. So nice to have a happy notation there!