| rev:text
| - I made an appointment solely based on the positive reviews here.
I drove into the private parking lot for my 2pm appointment a little early. There were 3 other cars in the lot, and one of them had a Yes! on 102 bumpersticker on it. Instantly I felt uncomfortable. When I entered the clinic, I saw that I was the only patient there, as the staff was on lunch break. This led me to believe that the bumperstickered car in question was owned by an employee, even perhaps the doctor. I contemplated leaving, but I thought it would be unfair to give no notice. I contemplated saying something, but it's hard to say something when you feel like you have a knife in your stomach. "Hey, I see a car out there with a Yes! on 102 sticker on the bumper. Who here thinks of me as a second-class citizen?"
In retrospect, I do wish I had said something, because I was just not able to fully relax. The receptionist peered out from behind the window and said, "Have you filled out this paperwork?" Not even a "Hello!" or "Welcome to our office!"
I started filling out the paperwork, and of course most traditional intake forms ask for marital status. This does not phase most heterosexuals, but for me, I hate having to choose 'single' when I'm not. And then the form asked for the name of my husband or wife. So I crossed out 'husband' and wrote in my partner's name.
When the doctor came to get me, he did not say hello, he did not smile, he did not come and shake my hand, he just stood there at the door saying for me to come with him. He brought me back to an examination room and told me to sit down in the chair, which was on the opposing wall. He stood near the doorway, unsmiling as he asked me a number of health-related questions.
Since this was my first time ever meeting him, I did not know why he was keeping such a distance from me. Was this how he always was with patients? Did he prefer to give women a wider berth so as to seem more professional? Or was he uncomfortable with me because I had disclosed I had a female partner, and he didn't know how to handle it? Perhaps he had never worked on someone who was not openly heterosexual, and further, maybe felt guilty that he (or someone in his office) was voting against me having relationship equality. Without asking directly, it was impossible to tell.
Then his assistant, a LMT, came in and put the hot packs and muscle stim on. The treatment felt good but it was difficult to relax because the LMT was so chatty. Don't they tell you in massage school that chatting about yourself is a no-no? That any talking should be about the patient and their health, unless the patient asks you about you? But she chatted on and on about her life and all her careers.
Then the doctor came back and adjusted me and said I had a lot of inflammation in my neck. If that's the case, why was I under the hot packs for so long?
I went out to pay and the receptionist said they don't take credit cards. I'm short on cash at the moment and didn't have a checkbook with me, but this is something that an office should tell you BEFORE you make an appointment. She apologized for this and said I could mail in a check. So not only did I have to fork over cash that was supposed to go to rent, I also had to pay for a freaking stamp.
Perhaps the stars were misaligned that day, perhaps the doctor had not taken his caring and attentive pill, and perhaps it's best I not return. But this I know: I'm never putting a political bumpersticker on my car and then driving to work. You never know who you could turn away.
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