The wife set up a doctor’s appointment for me for this morning. I’m generally opposed to the medical community because they have a very nasty habit of sticking needles in me. As I’m fond of telling anyone about to do such a thing “Do the words ‘enormous green rage monster’ hold any meaning to you?”
The medical community used to be good, before the insurance industry came in and FUBAR’d everything. My doctor when I was growing up, Dr. Thompkins, would spend time talking to you about everything before he did anything concerning your health. he knew my family, he’d ask about them, we’d chat, things would be good, then he’d do the exam and tell me if I had a clean bill of health. (I usually did.)
I remember when things changed. It was not long after Dr. Thompkins retired. I had a fever of 103, general aches and pains. Nothing that hadn’t happened before. You go see the doctor, you get some antibiotics, you go home, take the meds, and sleep it off.
I called his office to see if I could get an appointment. They said they were packed but if I could get there before 4:00 PM, they’d find a spot for me. I went in and it was around 3:00 PM when I got there. The nurse at the front desk said they wouldn’t see me, that I had to go to the Emergency Room instead. Say what? You don’t go to the ER for a fever. I told her that I’d called earlier and they told me I could be seen if I got there before 4:00. One of the doctor’s said he could see me. They put me in a room and I waited.
4:00 PM rolled around and the doctor came in to see me. It was a quick check, here’s a prescription, time for you to leave. I left and the whole office was shut down. I appreciated the doctor seeing me, but there was nothing personal about the visit.
Every time I’ve been to see a doctor since it has been get-you-in-get-you-out A.S.A.P. There i no getting to now you, know chatting about your family, no getting anything about your medical background. All so the doctors can meet some quota as set by the insurance industry. It puts undue stress on the doctors and patients. The system sucks and the insurance industry needs to be dismantled and done away with.
At least today’s visit was much more like Dr. Thompkins handled things. Now this was the first time with a new doctor, but he spent nearly an hour talking to me about my medical history, my family, and stuff. He did the checkup and so far things are good. The drawback is that I have to have blood drawn next week. Great. A whole week of anxiety before someone sticks a needle in me. I at least talked with the nurse who is going to do it and apologized to her in advance for what I’ll be putting her through.
In the meantime, things are positive on the med front, pending on what the test results from next week are.
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