Being the ‘angry advocate’ is sometimes necessary

I don’t like conflict. I like things to run smoothly and everyone to do their job. This is especially true during a crisis.

Of course, it is in these tough situations that conflicts and issues often arise.

I found out yesterday that after waiting over a week for hospice to begin, with my mom reporting an 8 out of 10 on the pain scale during every home health visit, that the hospice transition process had not even started! The home health agency told me I needed to talk to my mother’s primary care physician. But last week, when I was at the doctor’s office, I asked about starting hospice and the doctor’s staff told me the home health agency needed to fax them paperwork.

I was beyond frustrated. I don’t get angry very often but I was really furious. My mom had suffered needlessly for over a week because these two entities that work with each other all the time can’t get their acts together?

Since the local home health agency is now part of a larger corporation, I filed a complaint at the corporate level. I don’t generally like to throw people under the bus but I wanted action.

And it worked. Tomorrow a staff member is coming to transition Mom to home hospice.

I just wish I had been the angry advocate sooner.