Bad Day
I have just had THE worst day.
Ok it wasn't the WORST day....but it was bad enough.
It was a VA Hospital visit for Homie, for a 6 month check, and the "deal" requires me to go with or drive whatever the case may be for him during doc visits or hospital visits. Honestly he is capable of doing it on his own, and the "deal" only was if and when he was too ill to do things on his own, but me being me, I go with him as I do know he sometimes does not hear the best. For the most part I really don't mind.
That being said, I honestly don't EVER want to take him to a doctor visit again. Especially at the VA Hospital. I understand that sometimes he will have to go there since he managed to change his whole medical/health coverage deal and now he HAS to do it this way. But I will only go to the clinic from now on, which is closer. And easier. And in a safe neighborhood. We have been to the hospital twice and I guess got lucky to parking/not being bothered. I say lucky as both times on the parking we managed to find a close spot and got into the front door without incident. I say Lucky too as the parking there is absolutely ridiculous.
It is not your typical hospital or parking. I believe the hospital may have once been a nice one. Not so much now for our Veterans and not so much in a good side of town. I believe the parking there once had parking attendants where you get a ticket and pay on the way out. But that is not the case now. I can only assume because of it being a VA Hospital, they reformed it so it to be free. And I am all for that for our Veterans. But it is just a Free for all. A really ridiculous one too. And there is pretty much no information on where you can park. No signs whatsoever, to where you are "allowed" to park and where you are not. Crap I have been there twice and didn't even know there was a garage to park in. The first time going we asked one of the doctors we saw and were told you can park where ever you find a place. Ok.
They also said that the earlier you get there to find a parking spot, the better. Which is probably why the first 2 times we found something easy and close as we got there pretty early.
I wonder just how early is early?
As, Today we got there at 9:15am. His appointment was for 10:30am. No problem we were thinking.
HOLY COW.
For about 30 minutes I drove around to the spots where I found parking last time. People were actually parking on the curbs and in the way where it was hard for you to turn in or around in these lots. (2 lots) So it got pretty interesting for a bit. Kinda funny for a bit.
Then it just got really frustrating.
We finally decided to try to park in the garage below the hospital. Bad idea. One it was dark. I mean Really DARK. No Lights & No attendants I am guessing cause its free. It was a sort of 2 level garage but not in the sense of a garage I am used to parking in. I mean it was not a circle for which you could drive around. If you went in, you turned either right or left. Drove all the way to the Wall and then you had to HOPE I mean HOPE, no one drove in right in behind you as you had to maneuver your way around to get out. I mean it was really weird.
I did it twice. That was more than enough for me. Because as I drove past the elevator both times there were some pretty weird looking characters standing there for the full 40 minutes I was in there. Now why? They were not smoking. Just standing there hangin out in the dark garage by the elevator.
Yeah I'm gonna use that elevator.....NOT.
I then proceeded up to the front door and told Homie he had to go on in not to miss his appointment, as he had about 5 minutes to try and find the room by himself. This is a BIG place. And not much rhyme or reason to it as I saw the first 2 times. I said I would hopefully be in soon. I really thought I would get a parking spot soon. Surely I would, as I had to pee. I decided to go over one lot where there were more cars parked as I had run out of places to try at the 2 closest lots, and I was not going to try the garage again. I watch way too much TV and have a wild imagination and was sure of what could happen to me. There have been reports of drug trafficking at the hospital recently and I was pretty sure it was going on in the garage by the elevator. :(
Upon driving around I pretty much realized there were only a couple of places where I was allowed to park as everything else I tried was posted to have permits and I saw them in each vehicle.
Crap.
Then I realized too I was in big trouble as I had to really had to pee now......big time. I had just driven 2 hours an 15 minutes getting there and looking for a parking place. It really was not an option to go around the corner to a gas station, one as there aren't any around the corner and two...not the best side of town to be in alone.
Crap.
So I witnessed a vehicle pull up past the front door put on his emergency flashers and help someone in. It took me about 6 minutes to drive around back to the front door and the vehicle was still there. I got an idea. I did the same. I knew the restroom was just inside the door so I went for it. I moved as fast as my legs would let me go. I got bumped on each side by a couple of characters who said some pretty rude things but I was focused on the restroom door and went for it. Yes I looked behind the door before shutting the door and locking it.
I then ran to where Homie was and luckily he was still waiting so I told him I couldn't come in as I was still looking for a parking place. I hurriedly gave him directions on where to look for me and left. I honestly don't think there is ANY security whatsoever at that place.
Pathetic.
I got shoved into the revolving door which I usually can't do for the dizziness, but again these characters here seem to have an agenda for you if you are female and alone. At least I felt like they did for me today.
I grabbed up my pepper spray and hurried to the car. Got in locked it and proceeded to once again look for a parking space. Was surprised not a soul was there giving me a ticket or trying to move the car...but then again I wasn't surprised at all, been driving around for almost 3 hours and had not seen one security guard at all.
From 9:15 to 12:15 I looked for parking. Nothing. Finally just 2 cars from the front door there was a space. Actually it didn't really look like a space but there was a car that pulled from it. I didn't care at this point, I pulled in. There were signs that said "10 minute parking for dropping off and picking up only", Yeah whatever....
Ok every 10 minutes I pulled out and pulled right back in.
I was spent. One I felt like I didn't need to be put in that position. I am really getting tired of being the only one to do things for him. I know I put myself into this position but today just felt like it was more of a Man thing to do. This is not the best side of town....in a good way of putting it. I am not scared easily but would have been scared to death to park in the garage or in the farther lot and walk in and get in an elevator alone with what I saw today.
I have taken Homie to several medical appointments and really feel like a few of them are more Manly related and feel like it should be done by a man and not a woman. One so I or he won't be embarrassed by the situation. I am not going to ask my husband to do it....it is not his place and he did enough for my mother and has to put up with way too much as it is. But I am sure he will be a bit apprehensive to let me go to this place again after what I saw today and how I felt upon getting home, just for my safety.
Today wasn't such an appointment that I felt a man should go with him, it was just the place and what I went through today I do feel like a man should accompany him should he ever have to go back there.
Who am I kidding? Like that will happen.
I think the worst part was the kidding Homie does when I have anything to say about anything.
He hurts my feelings so much I cannot hardly stand it anymore. Upon him getting in the car I told him I honestly did not want to go back there and experience that again. He acted like it was no big deal. I said I would never park in the garage after what I saw. He said maybe I should have bought a bag from them.
What?
Seriously.
I think I drove home in shock. Here I was trying to do him a favor, going with him, supporting him and he jokes about it. Fine, I am all one for joking around. It gets me through the day, but seriously this is just getting to me.
God Help me.
Ok it wasn't the WORST day....but it was bad enough.
It was a VA Hospital visit for Homie, for a 6 month check, and the "deal" requires me to go with or drive whatever the case may be for him during doc visits or hospital visits. Honestly he is capable of doing it on his own, and the "deal" only was if and when he was too ill to do things on his own, but me being me, I go with him as I do know he sometimes does not hear the best. For the most part I really don't mind.
That being said, I honestly don't EVER want to take him to a doctor visit again. Especially at the VA Hospital. I understand that sometimes he will have to go there since he managed to change his whole medical/health coverage deal and now he HAS to do it this way. But I will only go to the clinic from now on, which is closer. And easier. And in a safe neighborhood. We have been to the hospital twice and I guess got lucky to parking/not being bothered. I say lucky as both times on the parking we managed to find a close spot and got into the front door without incident. I say Lucky too as the parking there is absolutely ridiculous.
It is not your typical hospital or parking. I believe the hospital may have once been a nice one. Not so much now for our Veterans and not so much in a good side of town. I believe the parking there once had parking attendants where you get a ticket and pay on the way out. But that is not the case now. I can only assume because of it being a VA Hospital, they reformed it so it to be free. And I am all for that for our Veterans. But it is just a Free for all. A really ridiculous one too. And there is pretty much no information on where you can park. No signs whatsoever, to where you are "allowed" to park and where you are not. Crap I have been there twice and didn't even know there was a garage to park in. The first time going we asked one of the doctors we saw and were told you can park where ever you find a place. Ok.
They also said that the earlier you get there to find a parking spot, the better. Which is probably why the first 2 times we found something easy and close as we got there pretty early.
I wonder just how early is early?
As, Today we got there at 9:15am. His appointment was for 10:30am. No problem we were thinking.
HOLY COW.
For about 30 minutes I drove around to the spots where I found parking last time. People were actually parking on the curbs and in the way where it was hard for you to turn in or around in these lots. (2 lots) So it got pretty interesting for a bit. Kinda funny for a bit.
Then it just got really frustrating.
We finally decided to try to park in the garage below the hospital. Bad idea. One it was dark. I mean Really DARK. No Lights & No attendants I am guessing cause its free. It was a sort of 2 level garage but not in the sense of a garage I am used to parking in. I mean it was not a circle for which you could drive around. If you went in, you turned either right or left. Drove all the way to the Wall and then you had to HOPE I mean HOPE, no one drove in right in behind you as you had to maneuver your way around to get out. I mean it was really weird.
I did it twice. That was more than enough for me. Because as I drove past the elevator both times there were some pretty weird looking characters standing there for the full 40 minutes I was in there. Now why? They were not smoking. Just standing there hangin out in the dark garage by the elevator.
Yeah I'm gonna use that elevator.....NOT.
I then proceeded up to the front door and told Homie he had to go on in not to miss his appointment, as he had about 5 minutes to try and find the room by himself. This is a BIG place. And not much rhyme or reason to it as I saw the first 2 times. I said I would hopefully be in soon. I really thought I would get a parking spot soon. Surely I would, as I had to pee. I decided to go over one lot where there were more cars parked as I had run out of places to try at the 2 closest lots, and I was not going to try the garage again. I watch way too much TV and have a wild imagination and was sure of what could happen to me. There have been reports of drug trafficking at the hospital recently and I was pretty sure it was going on in the garage by the elevator. :(
Upon driving around I pretty much realized there were only a couple of places where I was allowed to park as everything else I tried was posted to have permits and I saw them in each vehicle.
Crap.
Then I realized too I was in big trouble as I had to really had to pee now......big time. I had just driven 2 hours an 15 minutes getting there and looking for a parking place. It really was not an option to go around the corner to a gas station, one as there aren't any around the corner and two...not the best side of town to be in alone.
Crap.
So I witnessed a vehicle pull up past the front door put on his emergency flashers and help someone in. It took me about 6 minutes to drive around back to the front door and the vehicle was still there. I got an idea. I did the same. I knew the restroom was just inside the door so I went for it. I moved as fast as my legs would let me go. I got bumped on each side by a couple of characters who said some pretty rude things but I was focused on the restroom door and went for it. Yes I looked behind the door before shutting the door and locking it.
I then ran to where Homie was and luckily he was still waiting so I told him I couldn't come in as I was still looking for a parking place. I hurriedly gave him directions on where to look for me and left. I honestly don't think there is ANY security whatsoever at that place.
Pathetic.
I got shoved into the revolving door which I usually can't do for the dizziness, but again these characters here seem to have an agenda for you if you are female and alone. At least I felt like they did for me today.
I grabbed up my pepper spray and hurried to the car. Got in locked it and proceeded to once again look for a parking space. Was surprised not a soul was there giving me a ticket or trying to move the car...but then again I wasn't surprised at all, been driving around for almost 3 hours and had not seen one security guard at all.
From 9:15 to 12:15 I looked for parking. Nothing. Finally just 2 cars from the front door there was a space. Actually it didn't really look like a space but there was a car that pulled from it. I didn't care at this point, I pulled in. There were signs that said "10 minute parking for dropping off and picking up only", Yeah whatever....
Ok every 10 minutes I pulled out and pulled right back in.
I was spent. One I felt like I didn't need to be put in that position. I am really getting tired of being the only one to do things for him. I know I put myself into this position but today just felt like it was more of a Man thing to do. This is not the best side of town....in a good way of putting it. I am not scared easily but would have been scared to death to park in the garage or in the farther lot and walk in and get in an elevator alone with what I saw today.
I have taken Homie to several medical appointments and really feel like a few of them are more Manly related and feel like it should be done by a man and not a woman. One so I or he won't be embarrassed by the situation. I am not going to ask my husband to do it....it is not his place and he did enough for my mother and has to put up with way too much as it is. But I am sure he will be a bit apprehensive to let me go to this place again after what I saw today and how I felt upon getting home, just for my safety.
Today wasn't such an appointment that I felt a man should go with him, it was just the place and what I went through today I do feel like a man should accompany him should he ever have to go back there.
Who am I kidding? Like that will happen.
I think the worst part was the kidding Homie does when I have anything to say about anything.
He hurts my feelings so much I cannot hardly stand it anymore. Upon him getting in the car I told him I honestly did not want to go back there and experience that again. He acted like it was no big deal. I said I would never park in the garage after what I saw. He said maybe I should have bought a bag from them.
What?
Seriously.
I think I drove home in shock. Here I was trying to do him a favor, going with him, supporting him and he jokes about it. Fine, I am all one for joking around. It gets me through the day, but seriously this is just getting to me.
God Help me.
Labels: Complaints, Whines
posted by dona at 2/18/2009
1 Comments:
What a nightmare!
I think you should look up an organization called Ride Connections. It is sponsored by The Red Cross and for anyone over 62 they will pretty much take you any where for five bucks!
Bill
Post a Comment
<< Home