SSM Health review: Belittled, berated and gaslit

All Summer of 2023 I have had a kidney stone in me that has not moved. I have had multiple UTI's because the stone was not removed. On October 3rd, I had a stent put in me and was given another round of antibiotics to take for 2 weeks. They only gave me a tiny small dose of oxycodone for a whopping total of 2 days "Use only when needed". After I ran out, the pain was unbearable. I took their suggestion to take tylenol, acetametaphin, ibuprofin and a heating pack. For 2 weeks I was bleeding and in pain.

October 11th, I called Urology in the morning around 8 am, I asked if they could tell me when my appointment was. She, at the urology clinic that I called and no one called me that time, told me that I need to be there by 11:05 am on Friday the 13th. I asked again and she reassured me that this was the correct time to arrive for my surgery. I then scheduled an appointment with my therapist for 9 am for Friday the 13th. Which would give me enough time to get to the hospital after to get to my surgery.

I get a call on October 12th in the afternoon telling me that I need to be there by 6 am. I told them that I was already told to be there by 11:05 am. I asked them if they could set it for 11:05 am as it was originally told, they told me no. I told them that this inconveniences me because I could no longer cancel my appointment with my therapist. They apologized and said they would reschedule me. I asked when, they said they would call me back. They never called me back.

I had to call them on Monday and they said they would call me back, I called on Tuesday and that is when they told me the doctor will not be in until Wendesday... which they could have told me before but they failed to do so.

I didn't hear from anyone on Wednesday so I, again, had to make the phone calls. I always reminded them to call me, I told them I don't want to login to look at messages or get a text, I told them again that I want a call back because I want to talk to them. They repeatedly failed to honor my simple request. I had to keep calling because no one was calling back when they said they would. They would keep telling me "we sent you a message, go login"

At this point I was getting mad. I was disrespected and ignored for too long. So I had to keep calling hourly to make sure they were not sending me online messages, since... you know... they could not do something so simple...

October 18th they actually called me and offered to make an appointment all the way to November 10th. I told them "That's not good enough" and had to explain over again how this is affecting me. Then they offered October 26th and I had no choice but to take it, even though I deserve to get it out sooner. Later in the afternoon, I could not take the pain anymore (even though it was always at a level 8-9 constantly) I go to the ER and wait about 5 hours for them to confirm that the stent and stone are still in there. Surprise-surprise, the stent actually pushed the stone back in further! So they gave me 9 tiny pain killers that only lasted 2 days. I don't want to be stuck on pain killers, I want this stone and stent out of me! I am in constant pain!

October 19, I called to see if there were cancellations, they said they would get back to me. I asked them if they could tell the Dr to make it a priority since I am suffering. They said they would leave a note. I called back to ask if he got the message, they said he will look at it later. That is not good enough, they can just tap him on the shoulder and ask him to look at the message to see that I am suffering. I have been calling and pleading, crying, begging to get this out. How am I supposed to get by when I'm barely sleeping or unable to take care of myself?

October 20th I called again, and again, and again, because I need the message to get across to them that I am SUFFERING and they have not been calling me back.

Now, I am well aware that there are other patients. Again, I was simply asking if there were cancellations and for them to CALL, not text or online message, me back. So simple, but so very hard for them! The doctor was not going to look at the message until the end of the day.

I spoke with this one woman, I was crying and accidentally said the F word while in agonizing pain, and she got mad at me "I won't help you when you act like this" and I said to her as she laughed at me "How do you think I feel?" and I had to repeat myself because she kept snickering loudly "How do you think I feel?" and she laughed and said "I don't care" and hung up on me. She sounded like the same woman that told me to be there at 11:05 am October 13th.

The doctor called me and blamed me for missing the surgery appointment and made it sound like I wanted him to cancel his other appointments? He said that his other patients are more important that me. I asked him meekly "more important that a kidney stone and stent?" and he angrily said "Yes, more important than a kidney stone and stent" I said to him "Thanks for the guilt trip" and hung up.

I just want this stone and stent out. They were the ones that screwed up my appointment and almost caused me to lose my therapist, if I had cancelled within 24 hours. I was also forced to cancel my other therapeutic appointment that I need. I am permanently disabled and that therapeutic appointment helps with my treatment.