Friday, October 16, 2009

Throwing Babies Into A Petri Dish

I just returned from "Urgent Care" our town's version of a walk-in clinic. We arrived at 7:25 and waited at the door for the door to open. Insuring that we would be the first ones seen. I wanted to get in and out of there before all the really sick people showed up.


We were there for an unusual red spot that showed up on my son. No fever, cough, runny nose, or other spreadable germs. Simply, a skin thing. Apparently, although the doors open at 7:30 the doctors do not get there until 8:00. Now, I understand the need to get the person in the door, signed in and diagnosed.... however, a half hour?

Moving on, staying focused.......

As we are sitting there the place starts to fill up and the level of germs in the air are steadily increasing. They should hand masks out at the door - and I am not even kind of kidding about this. The hacking and the nose sniffing and the obvious sore throats made my skin crawl. I wished I could have tied my own hands to my sides along with my son's to keep us from touching our eyes, mouths, and noses therefore increasing the likelihood that not only would we leave there with fewer answers than I was hoping for but a bonus gift of a lung hacking cough.

After seeing the doctor, we were sent to the next hallway for labs, then back out into the petri dish of a waiting from to hear the results and be dismissed. By the time we get back out to the petri dish.... I mean lobby there is not a seat to be found, at least not one that wasn't next to a lung hacker. The germs were almost visible in the air, they felt gritty in my mouth. I kept heading down the line of chairs, and waiting areas, until I landed...... where was I? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? In Pediatrics????!!!!! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Understand this clinic waiting area is one big open room with groups of chairs and half walls making smaller waiting areas.


Who in their right minds would bring their infant into this facility? There is maybe 100 ft from the "sick" desk and the pediatrics. It truly would be a much quicker process for the doctors to just allow the infants and children to lick the petri dishes, to give them little germ infested biter biscuits, to rub the nipples of their bottles in a used tissue.... what is wrong with this?

I am told by my friend that they are working on changing this, that there will be a sick side and a non-sick side. That the pediatrics is moving to a building with the eye clinic and the dermatologist. However in the mean time? This really is nothing more then a rant, a shout of disbelief, a small triumph that we have been healthy enough to avoid such places, a head shaker...

The skin thing - unknown? a bruise? wait and see.... really?????
To think I had just paid off the clinic bill. sigh......

6 comments:

Vodka Logic said...

At the hospital where I work [a large medical center] there is a sign as you walk in... if you are coughing etc please ask for a mask.. in fact they will give it to you if they feel it necessary

good luck

Tracie said...

They are making sick people wear masks at the hospital where I work. I agree that the waiting rooms are nasty. If you aren't sick when you get there, you will be when you leave.

Just Jules said...

kyslp and VL- what cracked me up is the workers. they were all hacking too, how could you not be? with all that sickness around you. I just kept looking from receptionist to receptionist and thinking - no way in HELL would I take your job right now.

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

I can just see the thought process behind someone trying to figure out if they are infectious and which room to go and wait in!! If they are in the mele in the first place, they sure can't make that decision! I do have to say that people who are exposed to this stuff on a day to day basis have a high tolerance level. Still...masks or SOMETHING would be helpful!!

Mari Mansourian said...

uggg just reading about it made my skin crawl... ya they say clinics and hospitals are the worst place to be... ewwww.
hope the spot is nothing serious

Deb said...

Another reminder of how glad I am to not be working in the school office anymore! Who-hoo!