Unfiltered Story #100576

(I am 16 at the time of this story. A year or so earlier, I was diagnosed with two gallstones. I am currently on the waiting list for surgery. In the meantime, I get “gall bladder attacks”. When I have an “attack”, meaning the stones are trying to get out, but get stuck, it’s often blindingly painful, difficult to breathe, and can last hours. A month before this incident I had a particularly bad attack that lasted over 24 hours. When I finally went to see my GP, she said another attack like that could put me into septic shock, and that if the next attack lasted more than 5 hours to come to the hospital immediately and ask for her. I’m in hour 7 of an attack and arrive at the hospital with my Mom. I am visibly green-tinged and pale from the pain, and clutching my side.)
Me to Receptionist: Hi, my name is (Name) and I need to see Dr. (Name) as soon as possible, I’m having a gall bladder attack.
(The receptionist looks at me over her glasses, glaring)
Receptionist: Have you had an attack before? How do you know that’s what it is?
Me: Ma’am I’ve been doing this for a couple years, I know what it is. Dr. (Name) told me to come in if I had an attack lasting more than 5 hours and this is hour 7. She told me to ask for her and that you would get her. Please, call her. I am in a lot of pain.
Receptionist: Well, I can try paging her but I don’t know if she’s here.
Me: Please try.
(I go to sit with my Mom as she tries everything a Mom knows to ease my pain – rubbing my back, trying to have me curl up on her lap, anything. We sit there for an hour, still no doctor. My Mom is very angry by this point and goes up to the counter.)
Mom: I’m sorry, but can you see my daughter? She was green when we got here and her skin is turning grey. She asked you to call her doctor, have you even tried? This is an emergency!
Receptionist: *Heavy sigh* I paged her but she didn’t respond.
Mom: PAGE HER AGAIN.
(Another 45 mins go by, and though there’s no word from my doctor yet, I am now the next person to be admitted. As soon as I am in a room, I hear this exchange from the hallway)
Doctor: (Mom)! What’s going on?
Mom: (My name) is in there – she’s been having an attack for almost 9 hours.
Doctor: What?! How long have you been here?
Mom: Two hours? The receptionist at admitting said she paged you. We asked for you, like you told us to. The lady insisted (my name) was lying about her attack.
Doctor: WHAT?!
(She burst into my room and spent 10 minutes apologizing over and over, and tells me she was never actually paged or else she would have been there immediately. She left for a good 30 mins, and I can only assume she had a stern chat with the receptionist. I’m sure people come in and fake their symptoms to get ahead in the line – but lady – you can’t fake grey skin and sweat! She’s lucky I didn’t vomit in the waiting area!)