And I'm just the person to give it to him. After two sessions with who was supposed to be the new psychiatrist treating Holland, I decided I AM a pretty good judge of character. I didn't really like him the first time, but people encouraged me to give it a second chance. Mostly because of the hospitalization issue, but also because we just don't have anyone helping us right now.
After the first appointment, I immediately made a second appointment so our interpreter would know her schedule. It was more than two weeks away. Then the major melt down happened and I didn't know what to do, so I called this guy's office hoping to either get some really good advice or an appointment sooner than our already scheduled one. The soonest they had was for a week later. She told me to "take care of the interpreter" for her. I didn't bother telling her that I wasn't going to get an interpreter. Super Hero had been taking so much time off from work to see Holland at the hospital, the first doctor's appointment, etc. I didn't feel he needed to go in with me (seeing as the then third appointment would also be with an interpreter and I didn't want to cancel that one). On Wednesday night when I left the hospital I spoke with the doctor and they wanted to keep him until Friday to be able to monitor his sleeping and the reduced med in the morning. So I was expecting to have him come home on Friday. Thursday morning (the day of the appointment I was to have with the psychiatrist), the hospital calls and says, "come get him." They had 5 new kids come in the night before between the ages of 9 and 11. They just didn't have the staff for that large a group of younger kids and Holland would be doing nothing productive for that time.
Big quandry here. I was supposed to drop my kids off at my mom's and drive up to Portland for this appointment. There was no way I could keep the appointment and pick up Holland from the hospital. I called the doctor's office and pleaded my case. I just couldn't make the appointment. Under the circumstances, would they not charge me for a late cancellation. No. Doctor's policy said I would be charged $130 for a canceled appointment. I couldn't believe it. They have no feelings. No empathy. I would understand it if I canceled and it wasn't an emergency. But I wasn't running off to the beach. So I emailed Super Hero and asked him if he could go to the meeting for me. No interpreter. Last minute change. We both thought a $25 copay sounded better than $130 for no services received. He came home with a bunch of paper work and items the doctor requested. Interestingly enough, he requested the discharge papers. Which he would have had, HAD HE WAITED FOR ME TO BE THERE. This guy is unbelievable.
So, now we're up to Thursday, yesterday. Scheduled appointment with the interpreter there. We arrived early. We waited 10 minutes past our appointment. No explanation. No - "doctor will be with you shortly." Nothing. Then when we get into his office, he starts directing everyone where to sit. Now first off - he knows nothing about deaf people and their needs. His office staff wondered why I couldn't just "sign" for him. (They even said 'well, if you REFUSE to do that, I guess we'll get one.') The interpreter and I just looked at each other. Usually people are very accommodating and ask where would the best placement be. But not this guy. He states "I prefer all my vision to be in THIS direction, mostly." He wanted the interpreter to sit next to Super Hero. Excuse me, hearing person who knows nothing about deaf people. If a deaf person sits next to the interpreter, then he can't see you and her at the same time. We finally got it figured out (I figured out that this guy liked to be in control and have his needs met. It mattered not one whit if we were comfortable. Super Hero and I were not sitting next to each other. Calculated move on his part.)
He starts going over paperwork from the hospital and says right away that he doesn't understand the diagnoses. I was told it wasn't bipolar. But I was also told that insurance companies don't like the diagnoses "severe mood dysregulation". So I was sure that this doctor felt it was better to put bipolar so our insurance would cover it. This new doctor says "That Crombie just likes to make up his own diagnoses to fit whatever he wants." I just sat there stunned. Who talks about a colleague like that? More talk about what Holland did in the hospital. He threw a chair. I knew that he had trouble a couple nights. Separation anxiety from me. Not wanting me to leave. Threw a chair? I doubt it. Knocked it over? More likely. He goes through the list of grievances and the whole time, he's very condescending about it. Like I didn't already know that Holland had problems and how bad his behavior could be. This guy needed to tell me again how awful he was. The killer part came, though, when he said something about the meeting last week with Super Hero. He said "it's too bad you chose not to take care of that." (meaning me getting an interpreter). Again, stunned, I sat there. Then I had to ability to say, "There wasn't anything to "take care of." I wasn't planning on having my husband come. He had missed so much work with the first appointment and all the times coming to visit Holland in the hospital that I didn't find it necessary to have him be there a third time. Knowing that we already had this appointment scheduled. Your office told me I would be charged $130 for canceling and I felt that $25 was better than $130 for nothing." Then he says, "Well, it was about 15 minutes of productivity." I said "good, at least you got something done." I really can't believe I was able to utter any words. I have never been so insulted and belittled in my life by a professional like that. There were many other things he said. Off-hand remarks about things, like "even though you are a saint, even YOU can't do everything." Believe me. It wasn't a compliment the way he said it.
At one point after reading through parts of the report, he tells me that Holland's reaction to being there was NOT normal. He told me that 90% of kids who come in do not have the severity of adjustment issues that Holland did. I said, "you mean that kids aren't scared and don't react that way?" No, he said. The only explanation for that is that this guy is talking about drugged up, comatose kids. Because there's no way on earth, if you dropped a kid off at a hospital, and said, you're staying and I'm not. Here are some security guards that you don't know, look really scary and you have to go with them. You're telling me that it's not normal to freak out about that?
He also requested more testing. I'm sick of testing. Holland's sick of testing. I said I didn't think the psychologists at his office were covered. "That's going to be a problem." he says. I said, "I'm sure my insurance has psychologists in-network." "yes, but then I wouldn't just be able to talk to them. I would have to wait for their report." Oh. So sorry that you're inconvenienced by all this. What can I do to make it easier for you? (that's what was going on in my head. Really wishing I had said something like this.) I knew within the first five minutes that hell would have to freeze over before I went back to this guy. I offered very little information (didn't bother telling him about the meth use. Why give him the satisfaction? The egotistical jerk didn't need any more pats on the back). I just nodded and took the prescriptions (he gave me a year's worth of refills. He has some major confidence in himself). Then when I got out into the parking lot, the interpreter and I just looked at each other, stunned. Then we both signed "jerk, with a capital J".
So that's why I need to write a review on this guy. People out there need to know that this person is a horrible doctor. Has horrible 'bedside' manners. Doesn't care about people and has been in the business so long, he's right and doesn't need to listen to the parents or care about their feelings.
There is a light shining dimly at the end of this hellish tunnel. On Monday, Holland and I have an appointment with a Nurse Practitioner that the social worker at Emanuel recommended. She said she's even better than most doctors (after seeing this guy, I don't doubt that.) She can prescribe medications and also will do counseling. And she's close by. No more four hour productions of dropping off kids, fighting traffic to and back. And you can look for my review of Dr. Turner from The Children's Program in Portland, Oregon, coming soon to a yelp app near you.
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