This happened several years ago, but since then I have not returned, and to this day still feel uncomfortable returning, to Aradia Women's Health Clinic in Seattle.
I went in for an abortion in 2001. The procedure went fine; they were very gentle, and seemed genuinely concerned about my well being after the operation...UNTIL...
A few days later I started to feel pain in what appeared to be my right ovary. I was urinating often, and cramping alot. Luckily I knew I was scheduled for a follow up visit within the week, so I felt some relief.
So I made the required call on my lunch break at work to confirm my follow up visit. The phone rang...rang..rang...and finally there was a message telling me when usual office hours were, and to call later. Well, I was calling during office hours, and no one was answering. Also, there was no way for me to leave a message.
I called again later that same day, during office hours, and still no answer. Not even someone telling me to "please hold", which I would have appreciated. I called the next day, and a couple of days later, and still no answer. Each time I called, I got the same message to please call during office hours. Well, I had called in the morning, lunchtime, the afternoon...I wasn't sure what else to do, so...
I just went ahead and showed up for my appointment, because at that point, the cramping was much worse and I was getting scared. When the receptionist looked in her big book, she couldn't find me on the schedule. You know what the woman asked me?? "Did you call and confirm your appointment? If you don't call, we cancel your appointment." Wow. She then went on to tell me that it won't be such a big deal to put off my appointment anyway because complications aren't very common, and unless I am having symptoms, it will be ok to come back in a couple of weeks. Yes, I know, I said, and I AM having symptoms. So I had to schedule me for the following week, which was apparently "the soonest" she could pencil me in.
I went in the following week, and it turns out I had a big, and growing, cyst on my right ovary. "Thank goodness you came in," they said. Yes, I know, and I would have come in sooner, but...
Also, when I did finally make it back in, the receptionist looked in her big book and said, "Oh, here you are, you were on the schedule for last week after all. I don't know why I didn't see you before."
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