Grove Hill Medical Center of CT is EVIL. Just EVIL.   Tuesday, January 24 I called the office to see if I could stop by on my way back from CCMC to pick up the girl’s records.   I sent in a request for their records on December 23.   I was told on Tuesday that they weren’t sure if they could give them out.  I had to speak with Karen Cookish, office manager who of course wasn’t in the office.   I left her a message to call me back.

I called again on Wednesday, January 25 and talked to the nurse.  I told her I felt that Grove Hill was playing a game and both my children’s well being were being used as pawns.  She understood but her hands were tied – she was just listening to her boss, Karen.

I left Karen a message on Wednesday stating that I would be calling her daily until one of two things occurred:  1. She released the girl’s records or 2. She called me back.  Of course she never called back.

I called again on Thursday, January 26.  Erin told me the records were ready to be picked up.  Rather than wait for them to change their minds, I drove over immediately.  What shocked me was how thin the packet was.  I opened them up and this is what they had given me for each girl:

• Immunization report
• Growth chart
• Copy of last office visit’s notes
• Lead testing results (Maddie only)

I wasn’t sure if I should be angry or not, so I waited until Friday, January 27 to drop off the records at Dr. Friedman’s. Dr. Friedman wasn’t there but her nurse Sharon was. Sharon was with Dr. Friedman since day one and therefore we’ve known her since Maddie was days old.  Sharon couldn’t believe they had only given us this and suggested I call back.  Of course on a Friday afternoon, no one was in the office so I had to stew on this all weekend.
I didn’t sleep much Friday night. I was livid that Karen was playing games and involving us in the middle.  Regardless of what happened between Dr. Friedman and Grove Hill Medical Center, it has nothing to do with my children.  So we shouldn’t be involved in any of this.

I decided at 2AM Saturday morning I would contact the Attorney General for the State of CT   Grove Hill wanted to play hard ball, they chose the WRONG woman to mess with. I took on a multi-billion dollar company 7 years ago who wanted to build a power plant in my home town – a piddley medical center is peanuts compared to that.  The point is I don’t take “No” for an answer very easily. And when it comes to my children? Stand back.

I emailed Richard Blumenthal on Saturday and was able to enjoy my weekend.

Today, I called Karen Cookish again.  I left her a message letting her know that I was very unhappy with the games being played and I didn’t appreciate my children being used as pawns. I also would have NO problems going to the media with how Grove Hill won’t release my children’s complete records. I didn’t mention anything about the Attorney General yet – I figured I’d use the media card first.

Miracle of miracles – Karen finally called me back! (sarcasm)  She told me no games were being played and tried to be my best friend.  Told me a bunch of BS and let me know that for 0.45 / page, they’d be happy to copy the girl’s entire records for me.  We went back and forth a bit – she trying to get me to be sympathetic “There are legal issues …” and my response continually was “That has nothing to do with my children”.

So, $14.40 and one month and 7 days later I picked up the girl’s records.  And hand delivered them to Dr. Friedman.  I will sleep better knowing Dr. Friedman has our entire history at her disposal.  Of course with Olivia I’ve kept my own notes, but Maddie has 5 years history that I would rather know we have access to.   And of course, just because I have my notes doesn’t mean they’re 100% accurate.

I called Dr. Friedman today as Olivia has had a TERRIBLE diaper rash this week. I think it’s because she can down an entire half pint of blueberries in one sitting. That and she just loves to poop between 7:15PM and 9:30PM.  It’s more often than not that I go into her room to check on her before bed and I end up having to change a stinky diaper.

So we lucked out and Dr. Friedman was available to see us. It took us all of 5 minutes to get there (4 of which were putting on coats, hats and getting the girls buckled into their seats).

Dr. Friedman diagnosed Olivia with a “contact” diaper rash from the poop.  We are to put 1% hydrocortisone cream on it and then balmexon top of that. It should clear everything up by the end of the weekend.