About a month ago I had an expensive and drawn out experience in the ER. And while I would like to say it was a colossal waste of time and money, it did rule out Big Bad Things. Like stroke. And heart attack. But I felt a little foolish the entire time, as I was in a pediatric facility...
You can't pick and choose when and where you are going to need medical help. Had I been at home, I would have opted for a family member to take me to the nearest adult ER, and give me a ride there and back, not rely on my overburdened co-workers to check in on me and bring me my stuff. And, I would have chosen a bit more anonymity instead of everyone at work knowing I was in the ER. It just so happens I had already scheduled an appointment with my regular doc the following Monday.
She took one look at my medical record and said "Well, looks like you had the Million Dollar Work-up". And that was true - they ordered everything under the sun. But I was in no position to refuse care. As my nurse said, "you're already here and you made us pretty nervous."
Of course, my doc was not concerned with my symptoms. So, now I have head and eye exercises, as well as "habituation exercise" to do daily, an incidental referral to an ortho doc for my tennis elbow, and I guess a little more piece of mind, with no extra pills to swallow. But I'm sure when the bills roll in, I will feel a little ill all over again...
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