Cancelling An Appointment - How Hard Can It Be?

Got a reminder letter from the hospital today about the booking they auto booked me for to have my cervix sliced at. Not a nice way to put it but it’s not a nice thing! I have to be honest that I have been putting off calling. From that initial colposcopy appointment and knowing their view and attitude on things I was not looking forward to talking to anyone in that department. I knew they would try pressure play to get me to keep the appointment and try effectively bullying me into going.

Thankfully when I rang I got the answer phone so I left a message and that was that! So I thought! Till I got a call back and very fast I must add from The Secretary of The Specialist I’d seen. By fast I mean literally within 6 minutes of me cancelling the appointment as well as saying in the message I have no intention of rescheduling one. How did the call go? As I thought! All pressure and full on! The amount of cutting me off and talking over me that this lady did was all a bid to spam me with “fearfearfearfearfear don’t think just be scared come do what we say”. I think it’s disgusting! Again, this is another thing I worry about is how many women that this has worked on!  Here it is how the call went:-

Secretary: Is that Clover?

Me: Yes, this is her?

Secretary: You left a message to cancel your appointment. And you don’t want to rebook?

Me: That’s right and no, no I don’t want to.

Secretary: Why is that may I ask Clover?

Me: Because I have no faith in what I have been told. All I received at the appointment was brashness, a judgemental attitude…(cuts me off)

Secretary: You do realise that this is very important that you have this matter seen to and if you don’t want surgery at least come see The Specialist (sounding very flustered and hasty)

Me: No thank you, I do not want to do that. I don’t believe that I need surgery for the  minor technicality, if I may call it that, that I have. I mean, (she’s talking over me at this point) if someone needs surgery I think it should be for a really good reason.

Secretary: (talking over me) This is very serious and you need to have surgery or talk to someone professional about this and The Specialist is very good and I really think you should see her.

Me: No I don’t think I should see her, I don’t think this is “very serious” either  because…(cuts me off again)

Secretary: Why?

Me: Like I was saying, because to start off with I was told by your Specialist when I came  in diagnosed with CIN3 that “there is no way it will reverse” yet I have a biopsy and that’s showing me it HAS reversed to CIN2…(cuts me off AGAIN. At this point I am clenching my fists and teeth!)

Secretary: Yes , yes and you have CIN 2 and that will never reverse by itself!

Me: Now you see I know that is a lie! Your Specialist told me 3 does not and 2 has a chance to so again, more contradictions going on as you are telling me 2 doesn’t when I have been told otherwise by your boss!

Secretary: Well! I am JUST a secretary so I don’t know fully what I am saying! (yes this IS what she said! I actually lol'd!) But you should keep the appointment and at least come see The Specialist for a chat because you are putting your life at risk! (Now wait a minute! Someone that is JUST a secretary that apparently doesn’t know what she is saying is a: giving me medical advice and b: telling me I am killing myself? Charming!)

Me: I think I know what I am doing and…(cuts me off. By now I am so used to her cutting me off and talking over me I just sigh.)

Secretary: (sounding actually quite aggressive, raising her voice now and desperate) Clover I do think you need to speak to a professional about this as this is such a serious…(my turn! I cut her off)

Me: EXCUSE ME! Excuse me but how do you know that I haven’t already? You have assumed not this one time but earlier in this discussion that I have not sought ‘professional advice’. I will have you know that I HAVE sought professional and private advice and let me be clear with you - I. AM. NOT. COMING. TO. SEE. THE SPECIALIST! Be that for surgery, a chat or otherwise and I WILL NOT be re-booking.

Secretary: Okay thank you Clover I will discharge your appointment (says this very, very fast and slams the phone down before I can get a “Thank you and good day in”).

My husband kindly congratulated me at standing my ground and telling her to go do one. I too am rather impressed with myself. Why? Because I am in charge of my body. This is my body, this is my cervix and I am honoring, respecting it for what its telling me to do and this is my right!