Friday (The Thirteenth) 5/13/2011

Apparently Blogger magically decided to come back up. I mean, did anyone else have this trouble? I didn't search the internet to find out if it was a system wide failure, no clue. This is what I hate about these sites. You can lose everything you have posted in the blink of an eye. JS - all of us former users of that site know that all too well.

I don't know if anything is lost, I guess I don't care that much anymore. If it is, it is.

Today. Driving all over the place in the semi. Down south, up in the mountains. I was already 4 and something minutes over my hours starting today, I didn't lose much in getting off a bit early. That's cause' though I got off early by an hour, I didn't take a break and now? The computer asks you if you took a break or not. No, in fact, I did not. I was working from the time I got to work til' the time I left.

Nice drive in the mountains, even if I wasn't feeling well.

That's the next thing. My neck has been sore for about a week and a half now. That's how I am describing it - soreness. Hard to move my head around. Hard to swallow. Lots and lots of mucous being produced. Today - was much worse than any day before, which is why I decided to go to an urgent care place and have myself checked out.

The first place I went to? The woman behind the counter was cold, calculated and acted as if the customer were an imposition. Not that she was busy - there wasn't anyone else there. There was a sign that had a legal notice: if there isn't a doctor in, this sign must be posted, yada yada yada. The person doing the work is a "physician's assistant". This, I find out, after filling out 4 pages worth of paperwork.

Guess what? I'm not interested. I have gone to several of these places in the past that don't have doctors attending and I have not gotten any kind of diagnosis. I waste my time, energy and money going in there. They aren't giving you your $50 co-pay back if they can't figure out what's wrong. I asked the lady about the assistant status: what does THAT mean? She brushed it off and didn't even answer my question. I asked her again: I want to know what qualifications this person has - or more importantly - does NOT have since it isn't a real doctor? I am not paying anything less, I want to know.

She refused to answer the question. She wanted my co-pay. I asked her if I would get my money back if this person couldn't figure out what was wrong? She went into a two-step - pretty good one too for anyone that wanted to listen: I did not. It would have been helpful if she would have at least been friendly and congenial. Who wants to go into a doctor's office (with not doctor present to boot) and have some sour puss at the front desk?

NOT me. She offered my card back, I reached to get it, she then went into another discussion, I just said thanks, but no thanks, please give me my card back, delete my information and I'll be leaving. I have my doubts the information was deleted, to be honest. I didn't complain to management, I just left to go to another one of these places.

I never even looked back. In fact, I didn't care. I don't do business at any other establishment that treats you in such a way, why should I tolerate it at a medical care facility? I will not.

Next place? Very nice people. Makes it easier to hand over the $50 co-pay and yes, I asked right up front: is there an actual DOCTOR here? Yes, they said, a doctor and a PPA (or something, I didn't pay that much attention). I was fine with that, even if the non-doctor saw me, if that person couldn't figure out what's going on, please send in the doc. Oh, and they didn't get offended by my asking if there was a doctor. Fully 3 people had big smiles and great attitudes. If I have to go back to an urgent care center again, I will be going back to that one.

I tell the guy what's going on. I have no fever - or if I do I don't know it - I'm not feeling well; my neck hurts and I showed him the places where soreness was concentrated; I am having some difficulty swallowing; producing a lot of mucous. He started feeling everything, of course and said he thought my thyroid glands were enlarged. He stated, though, that a nurse was going to come in and take a swab off my throat to see if I have strep throat. Okay.

Well, this nurse certainly got the better on me: I had NO clue she was going to stick that thing THAT far down my throat!! Open your mouth, say ahhhh: AHHHHHH - GURGGGGLE GAG!!

10 minutes later the doctor comes in and says I have strep throat. He said probably lymph nodes or something that he was feeling and that he was going to prescribe me an antibiotic and it should take care of the problem. If not, then I should have my thyroid looked at again, but, don't bother doing that until you take all the antibiotics and see if that doesn't solve the problem.

I guess I have walked around the planet for 2 weeks with strep throat. I asked and they told me: highly contagious. Great, guess I should stay away from people and warn whoever's around me. I don't like going to the doctor, I never have. They want to probe you in places that shouldn't be probed. They ask you personal questions that I don't want to answer. You are a machine to them that needs to be fixed. If you want to be fixed, you really have to be completely open to them, much like the computer on your car will transmit codes to tell a mechanic what is wrong.

I'm not saying doctors aren't compassionate - well some aren't - they are usually very caring people. It's just the whole scenario. A cold place. Put on this "gown". Hold out your arm. Bend over, we gonna check your prostrate. Gag.

Thanks doc, as I'm getting off the lift and walking out of the mechanic's shop and into the shop office. Lol, I know, a bit overkill, but that's the way I think they look at it. I open the door and hear a voice behind me but I didn't hear what she said. I walked back in, did I need to do anything else? Oh no, she said very sweetly, you're good, just said goodbye. Oh, well thank you and have a great day!

Off to CVS pharmacy. That's the pharmacy that is "ordained" by our company's medical and that's what I am going to use - lower price. In this case? I was amazed: 4 bucks and change for the antibiotics. I ended up walking around the store and found some deals. I don't normally shop at CVS - the last time I went was several years ago and I thought their prices were way high. However, the deals were things I needed and yes, I think I'm a fairly savvy shopper, I am very price conscious and I watch the prices on EVERYTHING that I buy, store those prices in my head and look through all the ads to see if any deals are available. I don't get a flyer from CVS, hence, I have no idea what their deals are.

Anyway, that was $50 well spent - though - I need to find a primary care doctor and get the option for $25 co-pays instead of $50 at urgent care centers.

Took my first pill 6 plus hours ago, taking another now and then one per day for 4 days after today. Do I feel better? After only 6 hours and walking around with this for almost 2 weeks - no - and I wasn't offered pain medication. Would have turned it down. I don't like the stuff, it is usually way too powerful and knocks me out. If I'm REALLY bad then I will ask for it. I decided a couple of drinks would do the trick and yes, they did. I am still feeling the effects, but not near as bad.

I just read a site on it. The stuff I was given is not always effective, but I can't take Penicillin, apparently that's what they normally give for this stuff. I am allergic to penicillin and have been warned that I may have have anaphylaxis as a result. My first and only time with penicillin I was covered with huge hives and was sick for almost 2 weeks.

So, I hope this stuff works. Some stuff that starts with an A. Arithsomethingoranother.

I will say that one of the symptoms I am having is quite prevalent: white patches surrounded by red. VERY visible and quite ugly, to say the least, on my neck.

I am going to bed.

Hope you all had a good week.

ben