I Am So Sick Of...

...having to apologize for things that aren't my fault. I cannot tell you how many times in any given day I use the following phrases:

I'm so sorry that...

I didn't realize that...it's my fault.

Oh, that's my bad.

I really do apologize for...

Here is a list of things that happened the past couple of weeks that I was blamed for and consequently apologized for:

a patient getting a bill from a lab - not ours - that he didn't think he owed

a patient who came to our office without knowing the specifics of her insurance plan including her $3000 deductible, none of which was met

a patient who called, irate because we had failed to notify him that the CT machine at ANOTHER OFFICE was broken

a doctor who didn't call my doctor back even though I had alienated his entire staff by calling a total of NINE (not exaggerating) times to leave messages

a patient who didn't make it to an appointment that I had scheduled with another doctor, which I notified her of not only once, not twice, but THREE times

doctor showing up 30 minutes late and then moving slower than a turtle despite the fact that he has 21 patients in the waiting room (the whole office feels the wrath on this one). This is because he has "sign in times" (where any number of patients can come during the appointed time and we take them first come-first-served) instead of scheduled appointment times


I don't mind taking responsibility for my actions - in fact, I think it is one of my greatest strengths. When I am in the wrong, I admit it and make the attempt to make proper adjustments. I try my best not to give offense in any situation regardless of how demeaning it is.

But, there has to be a limit, right? I've got to be able to stand up for myself at some point because I am SICK AND TIRED of being blamed repeatedly for things that are either not my fault or are beyond my control.

However, if I did, the doctor would most certainly call me into his office for an hour long talk wherein he would suggest I re-read C. Terry Warner's book, Bonds That Make Us Free which seems to suggest that if people are treating you badly, it is obviously because of flaws in YOUR personality (meaning it's your fault) and you should NEVER react regardless of the situation. Seriously. He's done it before. Multiple times.

The only solution I can think of is to move to a remote location where I have no contact with other people. Or, I could throw firecrackers at anyone who talks to me. I think I'm going to go with option #2.