H1N1 at the Walk-In Clinic

Edited and reposted:  For some strange reason this particular post that I wrote two days ago completely disappeared from my blog!  My Fella thinks the H1N1 flu shot is a government conspiracy and claims this mysterious disappearance of my post is proof.  A little political tampering.  But I'm pretty sure I accidentally deleted it while traveling on my current Tylenol 3 induced carpet ride  :) 

CAUTION:  Whiney post ahead.

 
I shot out of bed at 5 this morning with a blinding jolt of pain behind my eyebrows. 

For the past few days I've been chewing over-the-counter meds like Halloween candy, hoping to clear up my sinus congestion.  It's not working.  And my voice is so hoarse from coughing that I sounded like a dude yesterday on the radio.  A couple listeners phoned to ask where I was.  They didn't realize they were talking to me. 

So it was finally time for a visit to the place I dread even more than the dentist: the Walk In Clinic. 

My head pain was so brutal this morning that it actually hurt to comb my hair so I threw down the brush, hopped in the car and drove straight to the clinic. 

Hoping to be first one in line, I was there before the doors opened.  Apparently 13 other people had the same idea cause that's how many folks were waiting outside the building.  By the time the doors opened there were 15 more patients in line behind me.

Still not sure what was worse:  waiting in a noisy clinic for ninety nine minutes before I could see the Doc-on-call, or being surrounded by a bunch of coughing-hacking-sneezing folks in a small enclosed space.   

There were several big signs lining the clinic walls that read: 

IF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE THE H1N1 VIRUS, ALERT RECEPTION AND GET A MASK   

And the folks with H1N1 were able to bud in to see the Doc before everyone else.  Since it is a potentially deadly virus I can certainly understand why.  But I'm not gonna lie, it was still kind of frustrating since the wait was already so long.  

As I slowly inched my way to the front of the pack I started feeling bad for the gals at reception.  The phone was ringing non-stop with panicky patients and it was clear that all the questions were about H1N1. 

It hadn't occured to me until this morning how heavily this is impacting the medical industry - clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, etc.  The H1N1 virus is making people frantic.  There have been 15 deaths in BC so far, but I think the worst is yet to come.

One hundred twenty-two minutes later I finally got in to see the Doc.  He was outfitted in a little green face mask that he wouldn't remove until he confirmed that I had sinusitis, not H1N1. 

The Docs' muffled questions and my congested head made communication difficult, but the second I was diagnosed, he whipped out his pen and scratched out two illegible prescriptions for painkillers and antibiotics.

Then he pushed his little green mask back in place and dashed out of the room to face the next unknown patient.  And possible case of H1N1.

Remind me never* to be a doctor.

*I'm glad we have honourable souls filling that need in society, but I'd be a terrible  doctor.  My practice would be completely dysfunctional:  yelling at people for not eating vegetables.  Or lingering at my office computer trading stocks when I'm supposed to be removing a tonsil or replacing a hip.  You get the picture.

Comments

[Mavis Holoiday]

Hi Kelsi, Congratulations on the sale of your condo. I surely am sorry about the sinus infection. It is almost as painful as giving birth. We're sitting at Canyon Rock RV campground south and east of Lincoln city, Or. We're slowly getting south. The weather has been absolutely typical coastal weather. We love it but we hate driving in it. I think if it weren't so dreary I'd love to live on the coast.

[john calypso]

Don't take no stinkin' antibiotics - but then that's just the health nuts south of the border.

Get well soon!

[kelsi]

Dave just moved a few more things into your place today while I was at work. Don't worry - he's not moving very much stuff there. We don't have many things left - I've sold it all! :)

[kelsi]

Hola Calypso - I'm not big on drugs (recreational or otherwise) but I finally broke down and took the meds to clear up my sinusitis. The pain was ridiculous.

What do you and your lovely bride take for infections/viruses/inflammation, etc. ??? No antibiotics?