Prompt care?

Not so you'd notice.



We spent three and a half hours at a prompt care today because I have a raging, throbbing toothache, complete with abscess, of course. I'm tellin ya...I had my share of toothaches and earaches as a kid and pain-wise, there's not much that I've experienced that's worse.

Except having to wait three and a half friggin hours at a prompt care for an asshole of a doc to give me a couple of scripts. And lemme tell ya...he was an asshole.

The long wait wasn't so much because the joint was busy...it was. Not packed. But busy. However, not one single person there had anything that should have made the wait that long. Sniffles and sneezes and the usual crap that's goin around. Nobody looked like they were in severe pain. Well..nobody except me. Nobody looked like they might need some IV fluids or extra care. Nobody looked like they belonged in an ER, rather than there. I've worked in prompt care before...I know.

No, the reason there was such a wait was because of the doc.

The whole concept of a prompt care is to get 'em in and get 'em out. The doc isn't there to do a whole health history. He's not there to work up each and every person like they're a new patient. That's what the patient's regular doc is for. He's not there to give a 30 minute lecture. He's not gonna change the world. He's there to address a specific problem...diagnose it and treat it and send the patient on their way.

And I realize that doc's hafta be more careful...especially nowdays with the malpractice crap the way it is. And I know all about the drug-seekers that use every trick in the book to cadge a pain script. But this guy...ooooo, boy.

I went in, told him my problem, told him I was an old ER nurse and that I needed an antibiotic and maybe a pain med...if he was feelin generous. I went on to tell him that I was under a doc's care, but since it was Saturday, her office was closed. And believe me...otherwise, I wouldn't have been there. He proceeded to poke around in my mouth for 5 seconds...then gave me a lengthy lecture on my stupidity because I still smoke. Duh?

I finally told him that I know all the dangers, I've discussed it with my own doc and if he thought he was tellin me anything I haven't already heard...at least a thousand times...he'd better think again. Him lecturing me certainly wasn't gonna flip on the ole light bulb...especially with his attitude.

Then, he proceeds to order me to see a dentist, first thing on Tuesday. But adds that I probably won't find one that's taking new patients. Uh huh.

Then he wants to recheck my blood pressure because it's up. Duh. It's right there in black and white that I take a blood pressure med. And I've just had to wait for three and a half fuckin hours in a small waiting room, filled with smelly, coughing, hacking people and screaming brats. I have pounding tooth pain that's shooting up into my left eye and right outa the top of my head. AND, I've just had most of my buttons pushed by a doc with an inferiority complex who would like to believe he's a fuckin brain surgeon or somethin. You betcher ass my blood pressure is up, moron.

Just what do you think you're gonna do about it, anyfuckinway?

Thanks, doc. You've really been a big help. Now gimme the fuckin scripts and let me get outa this hellhole and you can get busy with some other poor bastard that's gonna hafta sit through your bullshit.

Prompt care, my ass. Wasn't nothin prompt about that.

(Can you tell I'm not feelin much better?)