RSSWhat I said at work today
06 May 2010 No Comments
in Me, me, me, Work
Or, how you can tell that I have less than two days left:
Last week we did a mast-cell tumor removal on a big Labrador (he weighs over 110lbs). The doctor warned the owner to keep an e-collar on him to prevent licking, but the owner objected and said he wouldn’t tolerate it. So the doctor suggested boxer shorts (it works well, I’ve put them on Bender before). We stressed the importance of not allowing the dog to lick else the sutures wouldn’t hold together and the incision could become infected.
Fast forward to yesterday: the dog came in because his incision was gaping open and looking infected. The owner admitted to our receptionist that the dog had been licking at it “for a few days” but told the doctor (a different one than the one that did the surgery) that he’s only started licking at it a day or two ago. At any rate the dog needed another full anesthetic to have the incision debrided and resutured. When we entered the invoice, it came to nearly the same amount as the original surgery, but the doctor and I decided that we’d discount it for the owners. Since the surgery was done in the last afternoon we elected to keep the dog overnight because he was groggy.
This morning the husband called to ask when he could come and get his dog, and I told him that we had to wait until the doctor came in so she could check the incision one last time. He was not amused, but seemed to understand. Then we had this little exchange:
“I want you to tell Dr. [Awesome Doc] that when my car’s engine needs to be rebuilt for a second time the mechanic doesn’t charge me.”
Before I could even think about what was coming out of my mouth, I heard myself say (very cheerfully) “yes, but you probably didn’t lick your engine until it didn’t work anymore.”
Silence.
“So, you’ll call me when I can come and pick him up, then?”
“Yes we will.”
We discounted his bill from $675 to $200. We didn’t have to, we just thought since they had spent almost that much on the original surgery (and histopathology) that we’d cut them a break. And this is what we get? Jackass.
Oh and for the record: I doubt that a mechanic would rebuild an engine for the second time for free if it wasn’t his fault that it blew up again.
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