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Apr. 15th, 2008 12:57 amWell, its been a few weeks since something has gone wrong, so clearly I was due.
I got sick again.
Late last week I started noticing that my left ear hurt. I have had congestion for awhile, but assumed it was spring allergies, and didn't think anything of it. But then my earache started giving me a headache. Then my whole jawline under my ear swelled up like the mumps, and started hurting.
So like the responsible adult I'm trying to imitate, I call the doctor. Now that I'm accepted into the Resurrection system on financial aid, I have a doctor, which is exciting. I call to see if I can get in to see her, and she isn't even in till Friday. No, I can't see anybody else. No, the nurses line doesn't seem to be answering. No, there are no Urgent Care clinics in the network. They tell me my option are to wait till Friday, or go to the ER. In fact, they recommended I go to the ER; we all agreed ear infections are nothing to trifle with.
So, once again, Ahn swings by, and we head to St. Joseph's. The waiting room is packed, but when you consider there are about fifteen chairs, tops, in that waiting room, it seems like nothing, especially compared to Rush or Cook County. About 45 minutes later we're called back, where a doctor (after waiting, oh, all of about ten minutes for someone to come in) cheerfully agrees that I have an ear infection, yes it is a good thing I didn't wait till Friday to be seen, here's your prescription, go home and take it and Tylenol, and don't go swimming for at least four weeks.
I cannot stress how much I love St. Joseph's. I have never had such positive experiences with health care in my life. Ever. I almost want to cry when I think about how easy it is to deal with them, and how great they've dealt with me. I can't get birth control from them (but that's what Planned Parenthood is for, anyway), but there are serious perks to working with the Catholics instead of the state, or- God forbid- private hospitals. And on top of it, not only did nobody act as if coming to the ER for an earache was silly and overkill, everybody agreed it was the best decision. This is what it feels like to have real health care. its amazing.
But even as great as they are there, this whole "going to the hospital" thing is getting really old. As I pointed out to Ahn, at least every time I end up in the ER these days, its for something less and less serious. Which is an amazing relief in and of itself. So I have my antibiotics and my soup and tea and Sierra Mist, and since I'm not contagious, I can go back to caring for Habibi tomorrow. Yay!
Maybe its time for a nice State Of The Amy Address anyway, I have lots of things to tell everybody.
I got sick again.
Late last week I started noticing that my left ear hurt. I have had congestion for awhile, but assumed it was spring allergies, and didn't think anything of it. But then my earache started giving me a headache. Then my whole jawline under my ear swelled up like the mumps, and started hurting.
So like the responsible adult I'm trying to imitate, I call the doctor. Now that I'm accepted into the Resurrection system on financial aid, I have a doctor, which is exciting. I call to see if I can get in to see her, and she isn't even in till Friday. No, I can't see anybody else. No, the nurses line doesn't seem to be answering. No, there are no Urgent Care clinics in the network. They tell me my option are to wait till Friday, or go to the ER. In fact, they recommended I go to the ER; we all agreed ear infections are nothing to trifle with.
So, once again, Ahn swings by, and we head to St. Joseph's. The waiting room is packed, but when you consider there are about fifteen chairs, tops, in that waiting room, it seems like nothing, especially compared to Rush or Cook County. About 45 minutes later we're called back, where a doctor (after waiting, oh, all of about ten minutes for someone to come in) cheerfully agrees that I have an ear infection, yes it is a good thing I didn't wait till Friday to be seen, here's your prescription, go home and take it and Tylenol, and don't go swimming for at least four weeks.
I cannot stress how much I love St. Joseph's. I have never had such positive experiences with health care in my life. Ever. I almost want to cry when I think about how easy it is to deal with them, and how great they've dealt with me. I can't get birth control from them (but that's what Planned Parenthood is for, anyway), but there are serious perks to working with the Catholics instead of the state, or- God forbid- private hospitals. And on top of it, not only did nobody act as if coming to the ER for an earache was silly and overkill, everybody agreed it was the best decision. This is what it feels like to have real health care. its amazing.
But even as great as they are there, this whole "going to the hospital" thing is getting really old. As I pointed out to Ahn, at least every time I end up in the ER these days, its for something less and less serious. Which is an amazing relief in and of itself. So I have my antibiotics and my soup and tea and Sierra Mist, and since I'm not contagious, I can go back to caring for Habibi tomorrow. Yay!
Maybe its time for a nice State Of The Amy Address anyway, I have lots of things to tell everybody.
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