Ultrasound Scheduling FIASCO!!!

For the last two weeks I've been struggling to get a growth check ultrasound scheduled. I had my first ultrasound done the last Wed of July. My OB phoned me on Thursday to discuss the scan. If you recall, there was almost a week difference in the size of baby A and baby B. Dr. E agreed that it's probably nothing to worry about but the only way to know what's going on is to check the growth again. He said I would have a growth check every 4 weeks. He tells me that he'll put in the order for the ultrasound when I see him at the end of August. I pointed out to him that I wouldn't be able to get an appointment for nearly 2 weeks after that due to how radiology gets booked. He agreed that would be too long to wait and tells me that he will put in the order when he returns from vacation, as he was getting ready to leave for vacation.

So I give him a week and call his office the following Monday. His office says he's back from vacation. I leave a message to remind him to order the ultrasound for me. I receive a call from his nurse on Tuesday around 4 to tell me that the order has been placed. I go ahead and call radiology to get the appointment set up. I speak with a wonderful woman named Stephanie who tells me that she has an order for me for my 20 week ultrasound. While that's great that we could get that scheduled now, there is no way for her to schedule an August ultrasound (which is what was supposed to be ordered) because the order is only for a 20 week scan. So I immediately call Dr. E's nurse back and explain that the order was not right and I left a very detailed explanation of what was needed. Stephanie had been very helpful in telling me what he should say where so we could get this fixed.

So Wed, Thurs and Friday I check with radiology to see if they've received a new order, NOPE! So each day I call and leave a message for Dr. E or his nurse explaining that the order was not right and that it's very important that I get this ultrasound to check the growth and because I've had some spotting (not a ton and fairly normal for IVF, but I had hoped mentioning spotting would get me a return call from someone). Every time I leave a message I am hopeful that I will receive a return call shortly and we can get this whole thing taken care of.

So now it's the Monday AFTER Dr. E has returned from vacation. I call in the AM to leave my same message. I actually speak with someone that took a message earlier in the week. She apologizes for the lack of response and says she will get him the message, again. At 4:00 I still have not heard from anyone so I call to make an appointment to go in and speak with Dr. E in person. (I'm leaving Fri the 29th to fly to Seattle to see P & L and I need to know that everything is ok before I get on a plane). The receptionist asks why I need to be seen and I tell her that I've called for a week and have still not heard back from Dr. E. I explain the whole thing again, mention the spotting and she makes me an appointment for Wed morning (his next day in my area). Within 10 minutes I receive a call back from the receptionist letting me know that Dr. E put in the new order and that radiology has an appointment for me on Friday the 29th. If you've been paying attention you know that I will be on a plane on Friday the 29th and that the appointment is too late (which is why I've been trying so hard to get this worked out, I know radiology books up fast). She says she will let the dr. know. So I go ahead and call Radiology down in Sacramento (rather than the smaller Roseville location). I get a hold of Stephanie again. She remembers me from my call last Tuesday and she finds the new order. Great, right? No. There is something wrong with the way the order was written or something (she thinks it may be an IT issue). She can't make me an appt with the order the way it is. She tells me she will personally deal with this and get back to me by the next day, as it was already 4:30.

Tuesday morning at 9:30 Stephanie calls! She had her supervisor help out as well. It never quite got fixed, but they found a way around it so that they could book me my appointment. I go in Wed, the 27th!! AND she has an appointment for me for 4 weeks after that one. I also have a Sept appointment. We had already scheduled the October appt (20 week). So it took 2 phone calls a day and over a week, but I know have ultrasounds scheduled to check on the babies every 4 weeks until October. By that appointment everything should be worked out and I will be able to schedule the rest of the scans!

It was a very frustrating experience and I have still not heard from Dr. E. I can't wait to hear is explanation when I go in for my 12 week check-up this Wed. It better be good! I also felt like Stephanie really went above and beyond for me, so I will be bringing her cookies on Wednesday!

Although I was becoming increasingly angry with Dr. E and the entire process, STE did a great job of not making me worry more. She offered to help if I wanted some "New Yorker" help, but she trusted me to get this taken care of one way or the other. I figured at the worst I'd go to the ER before my flight. I'm so glad that it did not come to that, but things were much less stressful for me since STE was not freaked out as well. Now, I don't actually know how much she freaked out to her family or DH, but she did a great job of not making me more worried!

So, that is hopefully my last ultrasound scheduling fiasco story to post!