Remember that appointment I had for 4 August with my PCM, Lt. Jackson to get the Pap smear Women's Health didn't think I needed? I got called twice this morning to reschedule it. Apparently intra-office communications are lacking at the clinic; Dianne Bailey-Holland [Mean Women's Health Nurse] can notify 2Lt. Gripper [my PCM's nurse] that I gave up and made an appointment after waiting three and a half hours in Women's Health before I walked the distance to my team's office to let them know, but after telling the woman who woke me up at 0800 that 1030 this Thursday would be fine, the same Apologetic Airman that called on the 17th to tell me I couldn't be seen on the 1st called around noon to see if I could reschedule again.

If I had money to spare, I would give Apologetic Airman a bonus for being honest. This time he told me the reason I had to reschedule was because my PCM had put in for leave on the 4th and they were trying to help clear her appointments for that day. (The reason I couldn't initially be seen on the 1st is because there's a parade on base, although I found out yesterday that parade starts at 0700 and is actually down Berkeley, the road outside the main gate. Whatever.)

Assuming again that I actually get seen, so far I plan on:

• Emphasizing the amount of pain I am in, since I have been informed the current "thing" at the clinic is pain management and obviously "as bad as early labor contractions" doesn't translate into GUT-WRENCHING PAIN to them. Hopefully this will net me something more useful than the 400 and 800mg Motrin I've been taking like candy just to take the edge off the cramps.


• Asking who has responsibility if my care isn't thorough since "I've done MY research and am here because I'm CONVINCED that something SPECIFIC is wrong" (thanks, vogonpoet).


• Not leaving until I get a Pap smear since that's the least they can do after blowing me off. In addition to basic assessment (they've taken my medical history but I have not had a physical examination), there's a range of laboratory assessments used for anovulatory DUB: checking levels of hemoglobin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, T4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), for pregnancy (by βhCG), and an androgen profile; they could also do a transvaginal ultrasound and endometrial sampling. The only test of those they've done is checking for pregnancy, which they do every time I see a health care provider. Why are we paying for Tricare if they're NOT PROVIDING ANY CARE when I go through the proper channels to get it?