For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 25, 2015

Was the same way back in the 50’s and 60’s as well. Used to get to read the old out-dated Children’s Highlights whenever we made a trip to the doctor’s or dentist’s offices. Only other place I could read really old magazines was if we visited my grandparents Then I had my choice of Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, and Michigan Conservation Magazines. Most as far back as the Late 1940’s to the modern 1960’s editions. Doctor’s and Dentist’s Offices were normally 2 or more years old. Barber had old magazines as well, but they were True Detective, Argosy, and other off-limits to kids mags. Get caught there with a non-comic magazine and it had better be Field & Stream or Sports-a-Field or you were in big trouble.

Yeah, as a patient I’m not subtle about it, either. We pay enough for our ‘copay’ and ‘out of pocket’, and wait for hours as it is. At least don’t make us read last year’s Readers’ Digest or some ad for the most expensive prescriptions on earth as a way of taking our minds off the tests or procedures, while we sit and sit and wait and wait…

Went to the VA Clinic last week waited a total of twenty minutes—5 in the waiting area and 15 in the Exam Room. It was worth it as ‘Doc’ gave me a good report ! But I know what they are talking about—‘been there-done that’ ! ! ! ! !

And when you’re pregnant, it’s worse because if you have to wait too long, then you need to go to the bathroom. But you can’t because you’ll need to give that sample soon.

My dr. has medical magazines. I found an old Good Housekeeping and was asked to not leave it in the waiting room. Not mine so I left it.

That’s precisely why I always brought my OWN reading material to appointments.

I never got why people don’t just bring books. I do.

I bring a book, as well. Unfortunately, these days, waiting rooms have a TV screaming…

Waiting rooms are what smart phones are for. The interweb is waiting for you.

It’s not just doctors’ waiting room, either. Also, barber shops, auto repair shops . . . waiting rooms anywhere.

I get high blood pressure waiting excessively for doctors and dentists. If I make an appointment, they tell me when my appointment time is. When I show up at the appropriate time, I expect to be seen within a reasonable amount of time. 2 hours is way beyond reasonable – it just tells me that the doctor has no concern for my time.

I always carry either a book or my Kindle to an appointment, be it doctor, dentist, hairdresser or mechanic. And I make it a point to sit as far away as possible from the blaring television. Some mechanics even have a “quiet room” where one can sit and read without that TV. I have even been known to sit in the kids’ play room to read. They were quieter than the TV.

We’re called patients…what’s scary is the doctors “practice”….

I think this is only for the comic strip purpose this two hour exaggeration. I have never ever waited that long in a doctor’s office. Even today, when we go in, as soon as we check in, they call us to the dr’s waiting room and I’m there, and out within half an hour….Let’s say for argument’s sake that the family doctor was called away to a delivery, then all that the appointments for that day would be cancelled, if that doctor was the only one in that office. But she says that she went to a clinic, so that implies there is more than one doctor there. So the others would have taken the appointments. Those pre-natal appointments, from my memory are really quick, so even if another doctor took over that day’s patients her wait wouldn’t even have been two hours. Just saying….

I had 3 children in the US, using 2 different OB offices, over several years. I don’t know that I ever got out in less than an hour, and most of the appointments were well under 5 minutes of time with doctors/nurses.

2 hours is enough to complain about, but not unrealistic.

I always expect a long wait when I go to my doctor so I’ve learned to bring along a variety of things to keep me busy, including my knitting, my current novel, and Nintendo DS.

Two hours is a long time to wait. I do expect a few delays so I read People’s Magazine if they have it. Some patients before me have extra questions so I wait a little longer. I have questions myself.

Years ago, I once waited an extra long time beyond my appointment time. Fortunately I hadn’t complained because I later learned that the doctor was spending extra time with the patient before me while giving her the news that her condition was terminal.

Even with the Canadian system I expect to be seen and back on the street within a half hour. Ironically, my longest wait was in Emergency, where my life-saving surgery was delayed because somebody came in who was even closer to death than I was!

I always take my noise-reducing headphones and an audiobook on my MP3 player. The only problem is hearing when my name is finally called but so far they have always found me and rooted me out of my story.

Lynn Johnston’s second husband, was a DDS, not an MD. Dental care is private in Canada, so it is unclear how being married to a dentist would make her part of the nomenklatura.

I always take a book, my IPhone and some knitting.