Hello all. As many of you know, who have been here with me for the past two years, I have been dealing with a medical issue that has high persistence and has cost me 5 surgeries [and counting]. Recently, this situation has taken a very serious turn and now my life is at risk.

To update you all, this year I took part in a culture test for the wound on my tailbone, which was taken around October 28/29, so about a month ago now. This was done during my last visit with my second surgeon before I decided to switch doctors due to financial problems. The doctor told me the culture results would be ready within the week and to check back that Thursday. I had called the doctor when it came time and was told the results hadn't arrived yet, which was understandable since it was taking the lab a bit longer than expected. The office then told me they would contact me that coming Monday to discuss the results. This was the last communication between me and the surgical office for several weeks, and during the blank period, I was on 3 weeks of Augmentin. On November 22nd, I had called the office with concern that I hadn't received my results, and I was told quite bluntly that I was not allowed access to these results unless I made an appointment. As I mentioned, I was having financial issues which prevented me from doing just that, so I was alarmed to learn this office for whatever reason would not allow me to get my results from them unless I gave them money.

It is strictly stated by California law that patients are REQUIRED to receive medical records from doctors offices upon request, in addition to HIPAA law stating the same. This means that effectively, this office was actively breaking the law. This back and forth between me and the office, many times of which had me begging, has lasted until time of writing this. I have been given many excuses and conditions by this god awful office, such as "fax only, only in person exchange, 50$ payment is required for doctor's signature, etc". Yesterday, I was actively LIED to by office staff on the status of my doctor as well. I was told that as of 2PM, he was still seeing patients when in actuality, another receptionist confirmed for me he hadn't been in office since 12.

It took this doctor until 6PM to call me back to confirm that his practice had been withholding crucial information from me that my life hinges on - I have an antibiotic resistant infection. At this moment, this infection has the potential to turn into MRSA, which can kill me. And this office sat on this information for a month.

I write this to inform you I might be slower than usual when it comes to commissions due to the mental strain this has been putting on me, although I will remain working to my best ability.