More Dr. Austin Chen Problems

Ugh. The best decision I could have made was switching from Dr. Chen to Dr. Charnes, but that doesn't mean that I'm not still dealing with lingering Dr. Chen grief!

About two weeks ago, I filled out the required record transfer forms and faxed the request over to Dr. Chen, but her receptionist (the office consists of only Dr. Chen and the receptionist) soon after left me a phone message questioning the forms.

I tried calling her back for over a week, but, because the receptionist went on vacation, nobody was answering Dr. Chen's phones. Now, my situation wasn't dire (even though Dr. Chen never gave me the results of my NT scan--lame of her--and Dr. Charnes needs it ASAP), but can you imagine if you were having a medical emergency and couldn't reach your doctor because she had no backup for her phones? Dr. Chen wasn't even answering her "super convenient" email address.

In any case, I finally got in touch with the receptionist and she told me that she can give me my records, but only if I come into the office to pick them up. But, what pregnant woman wants to haul her ass down to Chambers Street on a hot day to pick up medical records? Sucks.

Ladies, if you're thinking of using Dr. Chen, I highly advise you to interview her first and trust any bad vibes you're getting. Maybe you'll find out that you like her free-spiritedness, but don't wait as long as I did to figure out that you don't.

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Doctor Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

So many of us city borough dwellers work in Manhattan because, well, that’s where so many of the jobs are. (Believe me, enduring a bus-to-two subway trains commute, usually standing the whole way, is not ideal.) Since we’re in the city so much, and because our commutes get us home long after many doctors’ hours, we end up seeing doctors in Manhattan, usually on our lunch breaks.

I even went so far as to see on OB/GYN in Manhattan who only delivers in Manhattan thinking that it would be easier for my relatives to drive to and would be close by if I went into labor during work.

But seriously, am I fricken crazy??

What if I go into labor during rush hour, making the 30-minute trip into an 1:30 minute trip? And really, is it ever not rush hour here? Even more, I’m due in January and, as one very helpful woman pointed out on The Bump last night, what if I go into labor during rush hour during a blizzard? I can only imagine my husband kneeling in the snow outside the car, arms at the ready to football catch our little one.

So, the decision has been made to change to a doctor who delivers closer to home. We’ve actually got a really great hospital—Long Island Jewish—only 20 minutes away and it just seems like the smart and sane thing to do. (The hospital has an online nursery with pictures HERE. I’m not sure what I think of this yet. Cute or scary?)

Also, my last doctor, Dr. Austin Chen in Tribeca, was a little bit too silly for my tastes anyway. She sometimes stopped talking mid-sentence and would turn to me and say “I forgot what I was talking about.” Woah, lady, please don’t forget what you’re doing when you’ve got your hands on (in?) me! To be fair, though, my cousin used her and loved her and she has many love/hate reviews online. Urban Baby reviews of her are HERE.

I’ll be sure to report my doctor findings here to let you in on any Queens gems. I also can’t wait to write about my Motherhood Maternity cargo pants. I’m wearing them now and I am so comfortable even after eating about a pound of cheese.

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