vaginapagina | Planned Parenthood policy?

So I'm curious if this woman is just a jerk but telling the truth, or a jerk and lying to me. You tell me.

Now just keep in mind that everything this woman said was in a completely flat, exasperated tone like she was wasting her time, and she glared at each person she spoke to.

So I went to Planned Parenthood for the first time this morning and these two girls who looked like they might have been sisters were also waiting. At some point a woman (in a tangerine colored velour tracksuit, which is the only reason I noticed this in the first place-- I was looking at her back wondering why she was wearing that to work, and wishing I worked somewhere I could wear sweats) came out and called a name. The two girls stood up, and the lady gave them a look for a minute before saying sharply "I'm only seeing one person, which one of you has the appointment?"

One of the girls says, "Oh it's her appointment, but she wanted me to come with her to hold her hand."

Lady eyes them.

The girl laughs, "Oh I don't mean literally hold her hand, but she was nervous so she wanted me to come with her to the exam."

The lady tells her she is not going to let the friend come back. Now at this point I know this is NONE of my business and I shouldn't be listening in at all, but I'm thinking that's unfair to the girl. I've always heard that you can always bring someone with you if you want, and this girl wants her friend there because she's scared. What more, if my boyfriend was in town, I'd have brought him with me, and I'm curious to know that isn't allowed. So I pipe up, "You're not allowed to bring a friend back with you at all?"

Lady turns and looks at me sideways and says "No."

I pause because I'm thinking that there must be some more coming, but she doesn't say anything else. So to prompt an explanation, I say "That's kind of strange..."

She says "No it isn't." More silence.

And again, trying to get some further explanation, "Well I just mean, I've always been told that you can always take someone back with you if you're uncomfortable."

One again: "No." And glaring.

I give up and go back to my magazine and I hear her as she leaves with the girl she's going to see, saying loudly enough that myself and the girl's friend can hear, "It's just has to do with patient confidentiality and all, we're just not allowed."

Okay, I can see it being their policy not to let people back, but it seems like for something as sensitive as this they really SHOULD. I mean, my boyfriend can go back with me to get my physical, and something like this is just a wee bit more personal and nerve-wracking than a physical. But I know that there is absolutely nothing in any patient confidentiality laws that say that a patient can't bring back a friend of their own free will, that's just ridiculous. So. You guys tell me: Lying to me, or just generally rude?

I feel so bad for that girl, though. She was scared enough to bring a friend and then she got stuck with that woman. :/

I'm also feeling guilty about this because I feel like I got in to something that wasn't my business in a place I shouldn't have. I hope the girl who was in for the exam knows I was trying to stand up for her and not just be nosy. Please don't get mad at me for this one-- I know it was probably a bad idea.

I love that PP, though. With the exception of Tangerine Tracksuit Lady, everyone was super friendly and made me feel really comfortable. The exam was really fast and not uncomfortable at all, the doctor was nice, and they gave me the student copay of $16 for my OTC-Lo instead of my insurance's ridiculous copay of $35. Overall they were fantastic.