That'll Be $165 and Your Dignity...

So I had an appointment at the eye doctor today. I wear contacts and was almost done with my last pair. I had waited long enough and now had to go for my yearly eye exam. It's a small, local office. Five minutes from my house.

I get there, check in and they give me my history to review and ask for any changes. So I tell them that I am now unemployed and they cross my work address and phone number off the sheet. The first woman to see me who does a small series of tests comments on my loss of a job. She seemed sincere. I give her my glasses - which are about ten years old - and she's like "Oh, you'll have to go over to the other side when we're done and pick out new ones because these are just old."

???

Um, excuse me. Did we NOT just cover the whole NOT employed thing. And doesn't it state on my chart that I have no insurance?? What planet are these people from? So I remind her of my status and tell her that I will NOT be picking out new glasses because I am unemployed, with no insurance, and even today's appointment is going to be tough on me.

So we're done and head to the next exam room. The doctor comes in and immediately comments on my recent misfortune of being unemployed. She checks my eyes, we chat, they do NOT have my prescription on site and so I will have to wait up to five days for them. She checks out my glasses, too, and comments on how I should check out their selection.

Is NOBODY paying attention here?

We get done, I go to check out, I pay the obscene $165 (for the whopping ten minutes I was there!) and lady number one comes over and reminds me that my glasses could use to be tightened and someone could take care of that for me. I'm about to walk away to take her advice when the receptionist offers her sympathy on my unemployment.

Now I go over to the eyeglass side and hand a new person my glasses and she's like "Oh, my! These are old! I'm almost afraid to touch them! You should look at new ones."

Sigh. Just tighten my damn glasses so I can get out of here! She does and as she's handing me my glasses she says "You know, you should really get some insurance. Then you should come back and get some new glasses."

If I were in a K-Mart, there would have been an announcement over the intercom, "Attention customers, the lady slinking out of the office is currently unemployed without any insurance but really should have some so that she can get some new glasses in aisle five!"

I wanted to crawl out of there and die. Hey, you know what would have been more helpful that constantly reminding me of my unemployment and un-insured status? Maybe taking some money off of your over-inflated rate! That would have been useful and greatly appreciated.

And insurance? Gee, why didn't I ever think of that!