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Why is it that doctors can get away with so much more than the rest of us?

Today's rant actually dates back to Tuesday. I had my OB checkup at 3pm. I dutifully showed up for it 15 minutes early, even though I know my appointments NEVER start on time. Usually, more like 15 to 25 minutes late. But there I am, with Caleb in tow, at 2:45. I am checked in and take a seat in the waiting room.

Caleb is a very good boy, chatting with me, looking at magazines, drawing in his "Handy Dandy Notebook," and being a typical angel child. (As if there were such a creature.) But this wait goes on, and on, and on.

I am scheduled to pick Bryan up from work (since we're car-sharing) at 4pm. Before I left I warned him to get a ride home from a friend who lives nearby if I'm not there by 4:10pm, just on the off-chance... Well I might have a career in gambling, because at 3:30, a nurse came to tell me the doctor was running late (thank you, ma'am, since I can't tell time). She did suggest that it would be another 30 minutes until I could see the doctor.

At any other place of business, an hour waiting is unheard of, or at least rare and well made-up for. Sure, you might go to the Olive Garden at dinnertime on a Saturday evening and have a similarly long wait ahead of you, but at least you are warned up-front. On top of that, Olive Garden is a first-come, first-serve sort of place, not by reservation. And if you won't want to wait that long, you hop in your car and head to another restaurant.

We didn't have the luxury of an approximated wait time or the choice to go to the next doctor. (I noticed, after about 30 minutes, that the other doctors were not running equally behind since I was the only person who'd been waiting that long.) So after one hour and ten minutes in the waiting room, Caleb and I were led to the examining room where we waited for at least ten more minutes.

At this point, I have to stop to commend my son. My little monkey seemed to be less frustrated with the wait than I was. Of course, he was restless, but still not whining or doing anything to make the frustrating situation more difficult for me. Way to go, Caleb. I grabbed a tiny sucker for him on our way out, but have yet not given it to him, since he was happy with a trip on elevator.

Back to the doctor. I am not a complaining type (seriously, I'm not... mostly). Not sure why, but when the doctor eventually breezed in without any mention or apology for the excessive waiting time, I didn't bring it up either.

WHY!?

I mean, there's nothing that could really be done at that point. It's not like they can give me a free dessert or a coupon for my next purchase. They definately can't give me back over an hour of my day. But an apology at least would have been nice.

I guess if I have to say something to ellicit an apology, I feel like the person is not actually apologetic.

But you know, doctors probably are aware that they can get away with stuff like that. My doctor, for example, is a perfectly nice person. She doesn't act like I'm one of the gaggle of patients in her day. She talks to me, asks questions, and talks to Caleb too. But she must know that I have no real choice about waiting until she gets around to me. I mean, it's not like I could just come back the next day. Appointments aren't quite like gold, but you do have to schedule them fairly far in advance. And an OB appointment is important, and they're supposed to be on a schedule, too.

Especially in a military hospital/clinic... We're assigned a doctor. This time I specifically requested one who'd actually BE there and not deployed somewhere else when I have my baby... Finding another one (especially a woman) would be like a strike of lightning... And with only 2 months to go, it just seems like it would take just as long and not be worth the effort.

Defeatist? Maybe. That's why this is called a rant, not a level-headed assesment. :)