Friday 9 December 2016

Chiropractic shambles

The Old Bat has funny feet, by which I mean - well, I suppose 'funny' is not really the best word. 'Odd' might be a better description. Anyway, when several months ago she asked if I would cut her toenails, a job she was finding increasingly difficult, I demurred and suggested that it might be better for her to visit a chiropodist.  I went further and pointed out that the MS Treatment Centre (which she visits every week) probably had one coming into the Centre.  And sure enough, they did, and the OB saw her every few weeks.

All was going swimmingly - until the chiropodist became ill.  But it was only a short time before a replacement was found and things carried on as before.

Or nearly as before.

The new chiropodist proved somewhat erratic in terms of reliability.  She would forget that she was due at the Centre and patients would be left almost literally biting their nails.  When she failed to appear again last Monday, the OB and I decided that it was time to look elsewhere.  I am fairly sure that the Centre management has come to the same decision.

So I turned to the fount of all knowledge (Google, not Wikipedia!) and found a chiropodist (or podiatrist even) who makes home visits.  The OB phoned and left a message.  That was Monday - and we are still waiting.

So once again I resorted to the Big G and found a mother and daughter set up. Again, they promised home visits. Another phone call, another message left. That was Wednesday - and we are still waiting.

Back to Google - again! A nearby chiropractice appeared to have parking and access looked reasonable so I paid a visit.  Access wasn't quite as easy as it had looked on streetview - but I was given the number of a chiropodist who works there one day a week and does home visits on the others.  Another phone call, another message left.  But, wonder of wonders, she rang back - and an appointment has been made!

But I have to wonder about the business sense of the others.  Do they not want new business?  Do they fail to return calls to existing clients?  Are they still in business even?

What all this shambles has driven me to do is discover the difference between a chiropodist and a podiatrist.  Guess what?  There is none - the latter is the 'new' word for the former!  And I have learned the correct pronunciation of podiatrist, so there is a plus side to the week.

2 comments:

joeh said...

I like podiatrist better, it is easier for me to say and the other makes me thing of bone joint cracking.

Suldog said...

Somehow, "chiropodist" always puts me in mind of crickets. Perhaps it's the "chir..." which is like "chirp"? Anyway, glad you finally found one who wanted business. It always amazes me when folks who are supposedly trying to earn a living don't return phone calls.