I called Woodland Terrace this morning with the intent of talking to Sherri Spillman, the administrator, about what happened yesterday when my mom was “lost”. Rachel, who has been incredibly nice the last few times I’ve talked to her, told me that Sherri was at an “administrator meeting” in Daytona all day today.
I asked Rachel who was “the boss” when Sherri was out of the office, and she said that would be Susan Macklefresh, the Director of Nursing. I asked her if I could then speak to her. Rachel put me on hold. For about a minute I could hear what sounded like poltergeists gnashing at electrical cables and then the line was answered.
“Hello. This is Sylvia. May I help you?”
“Sylvia Gray?” I asked.
“Yes?” she replied.
I said, “Hi, Sylvia. It’s me, David Gagne. I was actually holding for Susan, the Director of Nursing.”
“Well, that’s strange. They paged me for the phone,” she told me.
I told Sylvia that I was actually calling for Sherri, but had been told that she was out of the office for the day. Then I asked her if she had heard about what happened with my mother yesterday. Sylvia said she had heard that something happened, but since she works in the business office she tries not to get involved with nursing matters. I said, “Sure, sure. I understand,” and then told her I actually felt a little awkward, because I was really calling to talk to Sherri about Susan. I said, “Either someone horribly, horribly lied to Susan — and she passed that incorrect information to me — or Susan herself lied to me for some reason.” Sylvia seemed fairly uninterested and asked me to hold on so she could get Susan for me.
After about thirty seconds on hold, Sylvia returned and said that unfortunately Susan could not speak to me right now because, “she has an irate family member in her office right now.” She asked if she could get my number and have Susan call me when she could.
I told Sylvia that everyone there should have my phone number ten ways to Sunday, but she insisted that it was easier if they “have it right in front of them,” so I just gave her my number again.