I packed a diaper bag for my baby girl with some wipes, a bottle, and the usual business for a check-up at the pediatrician’s office for a routine visit. It was supposed to be a routine visit. Little did I know I would soon be handed a script to get x-rays.
STAT.
In somewhat of a panic, I grabbed my daughter and rushed off to see the Radiologist. Entering the doorway with my extra large diaper bag, hat, gloves and the whole bit, I finally reached the counter with the weight of my daughter in my arms. A woman sat behind the counter peering beneath her dark charcoal frames while waiting for me to provide opening remarks. I began, “Hi. I’m here to get x-rays for my daughter.”
In a snarky tone she asked, “Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I just came from the pediatrician’s office and they told me you make room for emergency situations and she is to be seen today.”
While snapping the end of a pen cap and tilting her head to the side she responded with, “We don’t accept walk-ins.”
Getting a bit annoyed I answered, “Ok, well maybe you would like to give them a call since I just came from there and that’s what I was told. My daughter needs to be seen…TODAY.”
Snarky woman pushed her arms away from the desk and rolled her chair backwards over to reach the phone. After a brief chat with the pediatrician’s office, she got up from her chair and collected some papers. Without a word, she grudgingly provided the necessary paperwork for me to fill out. Apparently, my daughter was going to be seen.
Already upset from not knowing what was going on with my daughter’s health, snarky woman’s attitude was the last thing I felt like dealing with. I took the paperwork, my anxious daughter and the 20 pounds of gear I had on and found a seat in the waiting room full of adults.
I quickly realized there weren’t any children’s books lying on the table. The walls were not painted a cheerful blue, red and yellow and there was not a toy to be found in that space. Anywhere. This was going to be a very long afternoon.
After sitting my daughter on my lap as I tried to get situated to begin the paperwork, sheer panic suddenly struck me. Considering this was what I thought to be a quick visit with the pediatrician at an office we knew very well, I was obviously not prepared. My daughter already drank her bottle and I did not have a lunch packed for her. To make things worse, there was not one small toy to be found in my bag.
So without toys in the office or substantial food in my bag, what’s a Theta Mom to do? When Miss Fussypants decided to cry out of boredom and hunger, I would have nothing to give her. And in an office full of adults, this certainly was not a pleasant situation. Luckily, through one more desperate attempt to find something in that bag, I located some Puffs. I broke them out as soon as my daughter became restless. Within moments of cracking open the Puffs, snarky woman stood up from behind the counter, opened the sliding glass window and popped her annoying head out.
“Excuse me…” she said as she glared directly at me. Pointing to a semi-ripped piece of paper hanging outside the glass window she added, “There’s no food or drink permitted.”
I couldn’t believe it. She was serious.
And I was seriously done.
I added, “Well basically, you have two options. You can either listen to my baby girl scream loud and uncontrollably for the next hour and watch me go insane OR we can all have peace and quiet while a few Puffs decorate the carpet. Take your pick.”
She didn’t move for a moment. I don’t think she expected me to react to her snarky behavior. That response immediately kept her quiet as she slowly closed the glass window.
And for the record, I chose the latter.
Indefinitely.
***And I know many of my bloggy friends would want to know the outcome of my daughter upon reading this post. She is doing well. It’s just so amazing to me how others seem to forget what it’s like to have children.
Karma will be back around to bite her in the butt. I have to agree people often forget what it is like to have children or don’t have them and don’t understand that they are not like adults. Way to go Mama Bear!
I’m so glad that your daughter is okay.
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What a horrible lady…..I never understand why people feel the need to be like that?! Good response from you though!!
It amazes me that people don’t realize how idiotic their own behavior makes them look. I’m so sorry you had to go through that, and I’m glad to hear your little baby girl is doing okay. You would think employees in such a situation might have a little compassion for the situation their customers are in. Its not like you asked to bring your daughter there without an appointment!
I’m glad your daughter is okay.
People who act like that should be working in an office that is isolated from other people.
Boo…I hate that for your daughter!
BTW, you were above me on Friday Follow. I’ve been an avid reader for a while now but had yet to hit the “follow” button. I’m a genius and a new follower this Friday!
OMG! Glad to hear your daughter is well (I would like some news however of that nasty woman’s demise)
Maybe she does not have children…or a husband…or pets….
Leigh ~ OMG! Heading over to your blog RIGHT NOW!
That is so rude, the lady obviously is very bored with her job. It amazes me how people who are so bad at their job manage to keep working when there are so many people looking for work which could do a better job. Glad to hear your wee one is on the mend.
Jade
I am so glad you stood up for yourself like that! What a rude woman she was. And I am glad to hear all is ok with your baby girl.
Oh my gosh, good for you – I love your comment. You gave her a choice. Glad your daughter is okay. This lady either is not a mother or the hands of time have caused her to forget how to entertain a child in a waiting room at the doctor.
I can’t believe the nerve of some people. It wasn’t like you were having a Big Mac and fries in there!!! Kids & babies should be excluded from the “no food” rule since they are often not capable of waiting…What a Rudey-Ruderson!!!
And I’m glad your daughter is okay….thinking of you!
Good for you to speak up that way. Choices are always good! Sometimes I just don’t get why people can be so grumpy/unenthusiastic/not nice at all while doing their jobs!
Jennifer – Exactly! What am I supposed to do, not give her anything to eat? Some people just don’t get it!
Ha ha I love it, I can’t believe how inconsiderate people are, I mean she already saw you stressed carrying all that baby stuff and she had to go and argue with you, it’s sad that people have nothing better in their lives. Hope the rest of the staff was nice at least, and you may consider saying something to your peds office, if possible maybe they could refer patients to somewhere else.
Good for you! And I think you handled that very well! I credit you for being more calm, cool and collected than most other people who would have been in your situation. (And gla our little one is doing ok!)
What a jerk that woman was to you…oh so annoyed for you. Glad to hear your baby is doing ok though
I think you handled it very well. I got a call from a mean guy last night – he started out mean from the get go. I killed him with kindness. (It didn’t help either that his wife was screaming in the background). When I was done taking calls and back in training I told my trainer about it and he said ” you have to remember, some people are just so miserable in their lives they take out out on others”. Not saying that makes it right for people to treat others like that at all. In fact, I don’t understand people like that – if I’m having a bad day there’s no way I take it out on someone else, let alone a stranger. Some people I think are just mean natured. I love how you handled it!!!
Ugh. Hospitals have the worst customer service. I had several run-ins with snarky receptionists and assistants last year when visiting the hospital a few different times for tests when I was pregnant. I really don’t get it. For all the money the get from you and your insurance company, the could at least be nice to you. Well, I’m glad you stood up to her. Either she never had kids, or she just doesn’t have a heart.
I can never think to reply to snarky comments with anything witty until after the situation has passed. Kudos to you!
Sounds to me like she doesn’t have kids, or doesn’t have any mothering instinct and wouldn’t know it if it jumped up and bit her on her snarky butt! I think you handled it perfectly and am so glad your little muffin is ok! Happy Friday Follow!
~ Crystal
First, and most important, I’m glad your daughter is okay! Now that you know that, you need to call the administrator of the radiology clinic and let them know how the two of you were clinic. I work in health care and can tell you that I would be appalled to discover patients were treated like you were. My guess is, if they knew, it could probably save the next person from being treated like crap during a scary time like waiting to have a procedure. So sorry you had to go through that.
my high risk OB has the same policy and because they cant manage to stay anywhere near on schedule, I usually cant get a babysitter (srsly I once waited 5 hours for my appt) nor can I deny my kids food and drink while we are there. Im sure the other adults in the room were happy that you were feeding her and Im glad to hear that she is ok
Good for you! Moms need to stand up for ourselves more often!
Fanning Flashes – I agree, and I understand how some people have “bad days” but when they are simply rude, it’s just isn’t acceptable.
So glad you added that last part about your daughter doing well… Cause that was what I was going to ask first.
On to miss Snark- girl I have so been in your situation!
Helloooo they are BABIES! Some people are just miserable.
Good for you standing up to her!!!
Wow, just wow. It’s a shame, but for every rude office person, there are always the nice ones. I’m sorry you had to go through that, but I’m glad you let her have it 😉
There’s nothing worse than snarky people. I think you handled the situation very well. And I’m glad your daughter is ok.
O. My. Word. You handled that better than I would have. I would have sat there dumbfounded until 2 hours after I got home. Only then would the witty comeback have popped into my head and calling her at home to give her my witty comeback would be inappropriate.
Glad your little one is OK. I bet that was scary.
Wow, that is craziness! I had a similar doctor visit with my son back in the day – a routine visit turned into “take him over to the hospital to have an ultrasound.” And I was like you, I hadn’t planned for an all day affair. I was really surprised how many people were upset that I had a fussy baby in the waiting room. I mean, I wasn’t happy about it either but there wasn’t anything I could do about it!
Shay – Exactly my experience. I had no idea that’s where I would end up that day and she HAD to be seen…I didn’t have time to go home, feed her, etc. I had to make the best of it, which is what Iw as trying to do – to keep us all calm under the pressure. Never expected the food police to actually say something to me…with a BABY!
Oh my gosh, the anger I felt while reading your post is unbelievable. I am so irritated FOR you. That was awful. Like you, I would have reacted with maturity …but right now I wish you would have given her an earful. You SHOULD call the office today and ask where you can give feedback and write a letter or email to the person above her. THAT WAS AWFUL!
I am glad your daughter is doing better. It is stressful enough to be at doctor offices…but to be there for a little person, with a little person, and not prepared….is even more stressful! Hope your day is much better!
Isn’t that the truth! I have 5 boys at home so I know ALL too well how it is when you go to a place like that not set up for wee ones. Great job!
I’m thankful your daughter is doing well. I am Friday following. I write children’s books. Happy weekend. =)
Way to stand your ground! I don’t know why people have to make comments like that when they don’t know the whole situation. Either way, it was uncalled for on her snarky part!
WTG! I get so frustrated when you go to the doctors and they act like its no big deal. They should all learn to have some patience when others are stressing over something unexpected. I mean come on you were at a doctors office with a two year who you didn’t know what was wrong. Shame on that sharky woman! And wtg for sticking to your guns.
Absolutely unbelievable. I am CONSTANTLY amazed and horrified by the way receptionists and doctor’s staff treat their patients. It is definitely NOT this way where I come from (Bay Area). It must be a city thing. You are a great mother and you MUST be your own advocate out here because certainly no one else is going to be. Good for you for standing your ground and putting that miserable bitch in her place.
I sincerely hope that you daughter is doing well and there wasn’t too much of a scare. Take good care, momma. xo
Oh my…..the non medical personal who work at our clinic are just as rude as that lady was to you…ALL the time! They all say “umhum” when you say thank you…HUGE pet peve of mine! Glad your daughter is fine!
I’m so glad that you put her in her place. Perhaps she needs to find a new profession, instead of one where she is supposed to HELP people.
Glad to hear that your daughter is doing well.
This is so unbelievable. I can understand the no food/drink rule, but not for babies and toddlers! Good for you for telling her where to go!
I wish you had posted this earlier in the week, maybe I would have had the courage to say what a wanted to to the snarky P.A. at the urologist’s office!
I’m betting Ms. Snarky Pants doesn’t have kids either.
Nice job!!
I’m glad she’s doing okay! And seriously? No food or drink with a little kid there?!? Yeah, not happening.
I am so glad that you put that woman in her place!!! It is amazing how rude some people are to mothers. Have a heart for crying out loud!
So glad to hear that your little one is doing well and hope everything is ok!
Good grief! I’m sorry you were treated in such an appalling way. Yowza!
And I’m also glad that your daughter is doing well. Sick wee ones make my heart hurt.
That is just awful
You would think that being in that type of business they would be used to occasional emergency drop-ins and pediatric patients! Good for you for sticking up for yourself and your daughter!
While reading, I kept thinking what in the world does she have in that diaper bag? I still don’t know. LOL I’m glad you guys made it through okay and SO glad you gave that lady a choice. I love it! I need to be more like that. Also SO glad your daughter is doing well.
One day in the future IF that woman has children she’ll feel like an idiot for treating you like that while she’s stuck in an office while her kid is screaming. It’s unbelievable sometimes. Glad your daughter is doing ok.
Good for you for standing up for yourself!
Now I am not going to defend being a snarky snot….but since i have worked in healthcare I will defend one thing. The reason they didn’t want food there is because there are probably many patients in the room who have been fasting for 12+ hours before their test. She should have been nicer about that and told you, maybe offered you a more secluded seat. It may seem like no biggie, really puffs for a toddler? But as a patient who was just sitting in a waiting room for over an hour after not eating in almost 20, I would have eaten anything! Really!
So glad your daughter is okay!
What is wrong with people? I just don’t understand how people can act so heartlessly, especially in the medical field. I am honestly troubled by her interaction with you. Good for you for sticking up for yourself!
Good for you honey. I get amazed when people say the rude comments. I can understand if it was a teenager who was slopping a Whopper everywhere…but Puffs?! And a baby girl?! I can’t believe her hateful attitude.
Are you able to do a comment online or anywhere? I know that most hospitals {from working in hospitals for 7 yrs} take patient care and how they treat patients very seriously. If I were you I would let them know exactly how you were treated. I can bet there are so many people who would do anything for this woman’s job–and smile while doing it.
So glad your little one is okay! Have a happy weekend! xo
Sometimes you just have to let the Mama Bear out…in all likelihood, the others in the waiting room were glad you did!