Dr. Dillweed, Dipsydoodle and a Series of Infuriating Events

Just had a weird and somewhat (ok, BIGwhat) infuriating experience. My mind is still boggling with a "this is SO UNFAIR" smackaroonie upside my head.

As I've written before, since Little Guy has turned 18, we had a list of things we were advised to set in motion for his future.

One of these things was SSI benefits. He's not in any actual need right now, especially since in our divorce agreement, his biological dad and I agreed to support him in all ways until he's 21. He qualifies for very little, which is how it should be.

But he has dreams of doing his own thing and living on his own eventually (even in an assisted living environment) and with that, he's going to need some help to be independant. He needs to be in the system.

Anyhoo, due to the basically overwhelming evidence from the med records I provided, he was "presumptively" approved almost immediately. Just a couple of more hoops to jump through, which I wasn't exactly aware of.

About 10 days ago, I received a phone call from a woman with a totally bippy cheerleader voice.

"Hi! This is Dipsydoodle, and I'm calling to confirm Little Guy's appointment with Dr. Dillweed on May 29th at 3:00pm!"

Whaaa? Who are you? What appointment are you talking about?

"We have Little Guy down for an appointment, and I'm calling to confirm!"

Wait just a minute. Who is Dr. Dillweed, what kind of doctor is he, and who made this appointment???---because I know I didn't!

"Dr. Dillweed is going to evaluate Little Guy for SSI!"

Ohhhh. Ok. Let me check my schedule. We've got stuff on that day. Can we change it to a more convenient time?

"You'll have to contact Social Security about that!"

Ok, I'll get back to you, Dipsydoodle.

So I called our caseworker, the fabulous Lady K (and I'm not being facetious, she really is fabulous) to find out what was going on. She said that we should have received a letter from SSI first before the "confirmation" call (ended up getting it two days later), but that it was really important to make this appointment.

So I rearranged our other stuff. Big Kid had a rehabilitative driving lesson down in the city early that morning (they're backed up for at least 2-4 weeks if you have to reschedule), and there was simply no way to fill in the 5 hours between appointments with lunch. Due to various issues between the guys, driving around and "shopping" wasn't an option. And driving back up into the mountains only to turn back and drive back down was just stupid.

We rescheduled the driving lesson. Last Thursday, I called Dr. Dillweed's office, talked to Dipsydoodle and confirmed our appointment for a week later---Thursday May 29th, at 3:00pm. Thought that was it.

A couple of days ago on Wednesday, we had 4 hours of appointments for Big Kid. ::sigh:: Just as we walked in the door, the phone rang.

"Hi! This is Dipsydoodle, and I'm calling to confirm Little Guy's appointment with Dr. Dillweed tomorrow on May 29th at 3:00pm!" More bippy cheerleader.

Hi Dipsy. I just talked to you last week to confirm the appointment.

"Well, we have a policy of calling a day in advance to make sure!" Rah rah, bippity doo daah!! No worries.

Ok, we'll be there tomorrow at 3pm.

We spent the morning at home. I Map-Quested the directions to Dr. Dillweed's office.

As wonderful as Little Guy is, he doesn't react well to changes in his routine.

Although I had prepared him for this appointment (he's not the kind of doctor who will give you shots, he's just going to ask questions and you have to try really hard to answer them), he wasn't happy about it.

Was I going to record Judge Joe Brown? Would he be back in time to see Judge Judy? If not, are we going to record Judge Judy? Would the dogs miss him? Would the dogs watch Judge Judy without him if he wasn't back in time? Was I going to leave the TV on for them? What about Judge David Young, who does justice with a "snap"? Would he miss that? What about Cops?

It's not like he actually watches all the shows. He just needs to know that they're on at a certain time and he can watch them if he wants to. It's part of a routine that he depends on.

So yesterday, we drove an hour down from the mountains into the city for our appointment. When we got to the facility, we had to double check our letter from Social Security because the room number listed was actually a physical therapist's office.

When we went in, I asked the receptionist at the desk if this was Dr. Dillweed's office. She said that he was really based in Denver, but saw clients in a room in their office once a week or so.

I said, "well we're here for our 3pm appointment." She gave me a funny look.

"You know, you're the second person who's come in for an appointment with Dr. Dillweed this afternoon, and he left for the day at about 1:30."

WTF? I showed her my letter from Social Security with the date and time on it. Told her that I talked with his office the day before to confirm the appointment.

She called his office in Denver, and explained the situation. Told the woman on the line that I claimed to have confirmed the appointment the day before.

The woman on the line said, "Well who did she talk to?" which was relayed back to me.

I talked to some woman named Dipsydoodle!

The receptionist said into the phone, "Well, she talked to YOU!" Guess she was talking to ol' Dipsy herself.

I got handed the phone.

Dipsy said to me, "Were you one of the people we tried to reschedule?" Cheer and bip.

No---you and I talked yesterday, and confirmed our appointment. I've been home all day. Nobody called to reschedule anything.

Dipsy: "Well Dr. Dillweed should be back here in Denver any minute!"

Lots more cheer and bip.

And this is going to help us...how?

Dipsy: I guess we'll have to reschedule your appointment! When would be a good time for you?

At that point, I'd had enough.

Do we have to reschedule with Dr. Dillweed, or is there anyone else available? I'd rather my son see an actual professional who values our time as much as he values his own.

Yes I was steaming.

No more bip. Voice of steel. "You'll have to contact Social Security about that."

Little Guy and I left the office amongst multiple apologies from the receptionist and therapists, who'd gathered around for this bit of drama. I raced home, seeing red.

As soon as I walked in the door, I called the number of the medical compliance worker that was listed on our "URGENT MUST MAKE THIS APPOINTMENT" letter and left a mighty frosty message on her voicemail.

We were at the appointment as instructed, the doctor wasn't, please call me to advise.

She called me back a few minutes later, and started with this---unfreakingbelievable:

Dr. Dillweed called her (during our hour-long drive home) said that he had PERSONALLY called and spoken with ME on the day before and I told him that we wouldn't be able to make our appointment, so he took us off the schedule. She'd like to hear my side of the story.

Was she KIDDING me? Seriously? The Dillweed said he had spoken to me personally?

I was off to the races.

Did she actually think that I get my jollies by having to reschedule a hard-to-get private driving lesson which we pay 150.00 an hour for in the hopes that our oldest will at some point be capable of getting a driver's license, paid almost 4 bucks a gallon in gas to drive 70 miles round-trip in a car that gets about 12 miles to the gallon in 86 degree heat and no air-conditioning with a child whose world practically falls apart if his routine is disrupted?

And what about the guy who showed up at that office for an appointment before us at 2pm only to be told that Dr. Dillweed had gone for the day? Did the Dill personally talk to him too?

It would be one thing if Dr. Dillweed had said that his receptionist Dipsydoodle had make a mistake (Oh Jane, you ignorant slut, who DID you sleep with to get this job?). Yes, sh*t happens. I understand that. I can forgive and eventually laugh at that once I get over my annoyance.

But it's another to be a blatant lying sack of crap who blames others to cover up his own incompetence or laziness.

Especially because I document EVERYTHING. Every appointment, every phone call---every scrap of information gets written down and put in the kid's file.

I wonder if it's a part of a larger pattern. Early on, ex and I had health insurance with his company. After he got laid off from his job, our marriage disintegrated, he disappeared....the kids were diagnosed and I was unable to get private insurance because of pre-existing conditions. For a brief time they were on medicaid.

I thought I was being paranoid at first, but I have to say that there was a low-lying but definite sneerage and almost disrespectful dealings with pharmacists and office staff of the different specialists the kids were seeing once we produced our medicaid card. Of course this changed when we got private insurance again.

So I'm wondering if there is some sort of similar dynamic going on with those who have to go these kind of government-paid hacks for disability approval. Since we're not paying for the evaluation and all. Do they have some kind of disdain for us? Do they think we're stupid? Do they think that we're just going to lay down and roll over because they got a call in to cover their ass before we could get home to report their unprofessionalism?

One thing is clear. I'm not going to let the Dillweed anywhere near my kid for evaluation. In my opinion, being such a lying douche bag automatically makes anything he reports suspect. They better find us someone else.

Where in the hell are my bunny slippers?