Aja, when all my dime-dancing is through, I run to you...

[primroseburrows]

So Friday I wake up, drive up to work to pick up my paycheck so I can deposit it and cover an overdraft. I drive back home, and go about my business. Then, I realise that it hurts to breathe in, and it hurts to bend over, both in the same place (left chest). Well, I feel that maybe I've got a bit of a cold, because I'm coughing a little, but don't feel really sick. So I figure maybe I strained something with all the exercise I've been doing, and wait for it to stop.

It doesn't.

So, I decide, y'know, there are some pneumonias with very few symptoms, and if I'm gonna go to work Friday night, I might want to make sure I'm not contagious. Off I go to the walk-in clinic. I wait around for about an hour, and finally they take me. One chest X-Ray later, and it seems I don't have pneumonia, but costochondritis (an inflammation of the cartilege between ribs, no worries at all), which the doc explains in detail to me, spending Time telling me what "costo" and "chondro" mean, even though he knows I'm a nurse. I nod and smile like the idiot he thinks I am. He prescribes me Motrin 600 mg, (which I can get OTC by just buying ibuprophen and taking the prescribed dosage), and then he says, "Oh, and you have a little arthritis in your back." Well, I think. That explains why my back often hurts for No Apparent Reason (erm. Like now.) Then, the kicker--he smiles and says, "but that's perfectly normal when you get to be your age."

Now. Every female I have told this story to has uttered a variation of "so, did you slap him?" I wanted to. The guy had ten years on me, at least. If he'd been a twenty-something upstart, I might have hauled off and given him at least an earful, if not an actual slap. I'm not a spring chicken by any stretch, but geez. I'm not old enough for "when you get to be your age" lines. *kills*

*smiles, with teeth* It gets better. I ask him if I can resume my exercise program. He says, "sure, but don't do anything that causes more pain unless you like that kind of thing."

People wonder why I don't think much of Western medicine.

Comments

[dragon-charmer.livejournal.com]

It is so often the same.

I've been struggling with my insulin for about a year now and no one bothered to tell me that I was supposed to increase my insulin cope with the level of the blood sugars. I assumed I shouldn't increase it without being told. When I say this I'm looked at like an idiot.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Diabetes is a whole 'nother area. There is so much controversy on my unit on when to give insulins and which shift should give it (which usually is decided based on staff convenience and not patient consideration).

I think the problem is, docs don't give the vibes that the patient is trusted to manage their own care. Yeah, you know your body, your insulin levels. But there's all this hierarchy involved (at least here in the US--it's probably true in England as well) that we don't trust ourselves anymore. If your BS is up, yeah. Increase insulin. They should have bloody told you that. Wankers.

[bookshop.livejournal.com]

Eurgh.

[way2.livejournal.com]

IMHO, doctors men can be so weird and clueless that, even though he was insulting you, he may have been thinking he was flirting with you.

Here's my should-have-said line: "By the way, my boyfriend's been having trouble staying hard lately. Do you have any suggestions? Because, guys that get to be your age would know about that."

[robinhoo.livejournal.com]

*laughing very much out loud* Way2, I must borrow your brain! That would have been so much more beautiful than a slap or a hard knee to the crotch that I would've paid money to see the look on the ass's face! (Wait, is that an oxymoron?)

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Mneh. He wasn't flirting. He was just being ignorant.

[erebor.livejournal.com]

Geez, that sure is good.

You sure you're not hangin' out with drag queens?

[trempnvt.livejournal.com]

So did you slap him then?

Also, ugh, feel better.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I really should have given him a slap upside teh haid, shouldn't I have?

Alas, no, I left with me book and me prescription slip and went home.

The costochondritis seems to be gone, but now that they go and tell me about the arthritis, my back is killing me. *sigh*

[bookshop.livejournal.com]

I'd've raised my eyebrows and asked him how old *he* was the last time Mount Everest erupted, and then nod knowingly, as if to say, 'you're no spring chicken, mister,' and walk out.

[erebor.livejournal.com]

That's the problem with those Doctor-in-a-Box places. I've used them for years for stuff like flu shots, yellow fever vaccinations, minor sore throats. I used to like them: quick and easy. But the last time I went to one the doctor was SO condescending that I've sworn off them. Except maybe for flu shots.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Darling, so glad it wasn't something more serious. As for Dr. Tact, forget him. Not worth wasting another precious moment on.