Health Care...frustrating

I went to my primary care physician last April because 3 months of chiropractic care was not helping my back after my car accident. I asked to get an MRI and she said we had to try physical therapy first.
So I did that for several weeks and after 8-9 months I tried many things (too many to mention), spent lots of money, and made minimal progress. Finally, I went back to the doctor. She referred me to a pain clinic. I made the appointment and had to get all my medical records for my back which required a few phone calls and special trips. I went there and the doctor said it would take a week to approve the MRI. It got approved and I called to make an appointment.
Then they asked me about my heart surgery I had 12 years ago. She wanted the name of the doctor and where I had it. So I talked to my mom, found out and called back. Then she said I had to get my medical records from them to proceed. So I looked up the hospital and there were like 10 branches of this hospital in Houston. So I picked the one closest to my house growing up. They sent we through 3 automated voice systems until finally I reached a voice mail and had to leave a message. After I didn't hear anything back for a day, I called the main line and the lady gave me the direct number. I told her how I reached a voice mail and the call was not returned. She said to call early in the morning (that's difficult when I'm two hours ahead of them) and then she gave me an alternate phone number. I called the alternate one and got an answer. I explained my situation and the lady told me there's a $42 charge for the first 10 pages and $1.13 for each page after that or I could send it directly to the doctor for free. She said I'd have to sign an authorization either way. So I gave her my fax number and it never came through. I called back and she said she sent it and it was confirmed. We've had trouble with that fax machine so I gave her an alternate one. I went to the office where that one is a few hours later and the secretary said she didn't receive a fax (I had to do this during work because they aren't open before or after I get off-even more frustrating). So I called back and she said I could look it up on-line.
I decided to make sure I had the right hospital. She looked it up and told me I needed to contact a different hospital. I talked to my mom again to find out which hospital specifically. I looked it up on-line and then called the main line. I went through 3 more automated systems and finally reached a real voice. I explained my situation. The lady wanted to know the specific date I had the surgery. Again frustrating since it was when I was young. She told me they only hold records for 10 years but that I could try. I had already decided that I was going to ask the doctor's office to work out faxing the authorization because it was easier for them and I was frustrated. This lady suggested I do that. So I got all the information and called the doctor's office and explained the situation. (In the mean time-3 days after I left it, the other lady returned my call from the voice mail I left). They wanted to know why I couldn't do it. I told them I didn't have a fax and that I was informed that they had the authorization. She begrudgingly agreed to send it, but told me I had to sign the authorization. Thankfully, I had the day off from work and could just drive over there and sign it.
All of this caused much frustration and made my back hurt worse. One month after I went in and started the process to get an MRI, I still have not had one. I'm still waiting to hear back on the medical records dilemma. In the mean time, I'm losing sleep because my back hurts so bad. This is why I'm skeptical of doctors. It's for this very reason that scar tissue built up and created complications in my knee surgery and caused me to lose a lot of cartilage and be advised to never play sports again, not even for fun. I'm having a hard time keeping a positive attitude towards doctors. uurrrggg!
I last wrote on this April 25 and it is now May 23 and still nothing has happened! What has happened. After a week and a half waiting for my records I called to check the status. Of course I had to call to see if the doctor's office received it. That got me passed around and explaining over and over. They didn't receive them. So I had to call the Release of Information place and get passed around and explain again. Finally, a lady verified my name and said your last name is Diamante, right? Wow, was that frustrating. So I corrected her - she still said my name wrong three times before getting off and she said she'd call back. I asked why they had not called me yet and she said she did not have my contact information. So I gave it to her. Three days later, I called again because I had not heard back. She said that they had already shredded my records because the surgery was too long ago. It took two months to tell me that!
So I called the MRI place to let them know. They asked me about the surgery I had. I explained. I even went on line and sent them some links. After a few phone calls, being passed around, explaining, and waiting for them to call me, they said I have to get a chest x-ray. I called the place I went originally to set that up, they were confused by my situation, asked me all these questions and said they'd call back. So the nurse assistant left a message on my phone (that day-thank God) saying they would be sending me a form in the mail with locations and a prescription to get a chest x-ray. I had to wait another 4 fours. Thankfully, the place to get a chest x-ray is on a walk in basis because I couldn't take any more days off of work. Now it's been three days and we are going into a three day weekend and I'm still waiting to hear what's going to happen next. So the back/MRI saga continues....