A couple of years ago I went into the Patient First in Perry Hall, complaining of some back pain. I was a bit worried it could be something else, so I wanted to be sure. An hour and $200 later I had a doctor telling me just to take some Tylenol. If I wasn't sick before I suddenly felt nauseous and weak in my cheapo bones. (Not to mention that everyone, except the doctor, talked to me like I just took a baseball bat to their mailbox--serious attitude).
Yeah, maybe I walked into that one, but ever since then (and since I am without insurance) I am terrified to go to another walk-in clinic place unless I am pretty sure I actually have some kind of illness that merits it.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) the next time I was feeling sick I went to the Padonia Urgent Care right near my apartment and found out I actually DID have something--and realized I should've gone there in the first place: great location, nice people, even awesome hours (I walked in on Easter Sunday and they were open!) From sign-in, diagnosis, and medication dispensing, I was in and out in less than an hour. Plus: the price for everything turned out less than my last experience, so I was probably the happiest person with strep throat ever.
Still, when I went in today I felt that familiar fear...not of being sick with anything serious, but b/c I didn't want to blow $100 or more and have someone tell me to head to a Rite Aid. But after talking to my mom and Leslie the consensus was the reason my head has been feeling like a vise and been coughing up green sludge was due to an infection--meaning: requires antibiotics. I was trying to see if it was just allergies or even just a small cold but after a week nothing really changed (and I'm pretty sure my other co-workers were sick of hearing me hacking away everyday) so I guess I thought I had no other choice but do something.
So when I walked in today, I signed in and then sat down waiting for them to call my name. I waited....and waited...and hey, how about some more waiting? Granted there were more people in there than last time, but DAMN. How much crappy Cartoon Network do I have to suffer through? (Btw, I'm not saying we had GREAT shows to watch as kids, but I can't imagine they were as annoying as the ones today--god I am really starting to show my age aren't I?) But it was either that or sit like a madman with the same thought running over and over in me head, "They're gonna tell me it's nothing...they're gonna tell me it's nothing...I'm going to have wasted $115 for nothing.."
Finally, I was called and went in to the smaller waiting room, and waited for a little while longer. When the doctor walked in and and about my symptoms I was trying to describe them honestly but also found myself saying things like, "I guess it could be allergies," as if that translated to,"I realize there is a possibility that there's nothing wrong with me, don't jerk me around, give it to me straight, Doc". Again, thankfully, he did say it was a sinus infection and prescribed some antibiotics--although I'm still a little skeptical that I should've gone in at all...maybe I should have just kept trying Zyrtec? Ah well.
So now, despite the cost I do feel better and am hopeful this thing will get knocked out and I can get my taste buds back...cuz those Jelly Belly jelly beans have been mocking me for a week now...their time is coming...
Anyway, have a great weekend oh wonderful readers!
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