I took my mom (age 77 and on oxygen) to the doctor last week. Her appointment was for 10:30. We were finally brought in to the examining room at 1:00pm and the doctor came in at 2pm. She spent about 40 minutes with us, then the nurse came in to show us something, then we were out of there at 3:00pm.

At that appointment, the doctor asked my mom to come back next week and they would give her a pneumonia shot. They told her not to make an appointment - that it would just take a few moments. She had to wait an hour and a half for that shot yesterday because they told her they had to wait for an examining room to put her in for the shot.

I think this is absolutely ridiculous, but according to my mom and the others in the waiting room, this is the norm. And every one of the patients felt it was worth the wait because they loved the doctor so much.

Well I don’t care how much you love your doctor, that doctor needs to be considerate of their patients. To leave elderly folks – on oxygen- waiting for nearly 4 hours, is unacceptable. We didn’t pack a lunch, and you couldn’t leave to get one because who knew when you would be called in. But of course we smelled the Mexican food the staff was having around noon. Arrgh!!

Would it be wrong for me to write a letter to that doctor? My mom doesn’t speak up and hates to make waves, and most likely would not want me to make them either. I’m tempted to write an anonymous letter and enclose a $20 bill asking them to please consider their patients and provide water and snacks for the long wait. And to schedule patients like that – regularly running 2-4 hours behind – is just plain rude.

Thoughts please?