Reason #67

On my long list of reasons to move out of California, #67 has to do with Health Care.  Basically, there is none where I live.  This town has 88,000 people and is so short of Doctors, it's a crying shame.  Who can blame them for not wanting to live in the armpit of California?  Certainly not me ... but that results in lots of problems for those that DO live here and need even minimal health care.

I woke up to gorgeous skies yesterday morning, but my throat was so sore I barely noticed.  I'm not talking your normal sore throat ... it felt like I swallowed one of those beautiful cactus plants I came home with, and it burned like I ate a ghost chili pepper WHOLE!!  Nothing helped, not even the tablespoon of ice cream I tried to swallow!!

Almost in tears, I called my primary Doctor.  "We can get you in to see the Doctor in two months.  Maybe you should go to the ER".  Really??  I should go to the Hospital Emergency Room for my sore throat / flu or whatever it is?  In this town, that's like a death penalty ... those that enter, never return.  No thank you!!

I headed to the local Urgent Care Facility instead, arriving at 8:25 am.  The waiting room was packed to the brim, with people sitting on the floor.  The receptionist was very nice, and apologetically stated that the wait was two hours.  The screaming kids in the corner helped me make the decision to pass.  I asked if there were any other Urgent Care Facilities in the area, whereupon she gave me directions to the only other one in town.

I arrived at the second facility at 8:35 and was thrilled to see only two people in the waiting room.  YES!!  Finally health care in hopefully, less than 30 minutes.  Alas, I was sadly mistaken!!  After filling out 6 pages of medical history and providing three forms of I.D., I took a seat and waited.

And waited ...

And waited some more while the two before me were called in, along with three more that entered AFTER me.  I'm sick ... I'm grumpy ... but you would be proud, I held my tongue!!  Finally .... over TWO HOURS LATER, I was called in.  Once stuck in a room, I had another long wait while I listened to the staff laugh and have a great time in the hallway.  I also heard the Doctor apologize to the nurse because he went to the wrong room when he SHOULD have been seeing ME!!

More waiting ... then the nurse came in and said "Okay Nancy, you're all set" ... and opens the door for me to leave.  WAIT!!!  I haven't even seen the Doctor yet!!!  Oh she says, and closes the door.  Another fifteen minutes and the Doctor finally came in, gave me the once over and in less than three minutes was gone like a flash!!

Almost exactly THREE hours after I entered the building, I had my antibiotic prescription in hand.  I'm thinking I probably could have gotten in and out of the other facility faster.  Lets face it ... there's just NO good health care here.  Those doctors that DO exist aren't taking any new patients, so people have no choice but to go to the Emergency Room, where I hear the wait is between 5 and 7 hours.

Reason #67 alone is enough to make me want to leave this area.  Thank goodness I'm usually healthy because if I really had something bad, I think I would be out of luck!!  Sniff, cough, cough  ........ (big sigh) ......... SNEEZE!!!