Sorry for the lack of updates here, I’ve been sick. Personally, one of the most crappy kind of sicks too. Sore throat. Couldn’t eat or drink for 5 days. Hard to swallow, drinking water was like a punch in the face. And not being able to eat anything for 5 days but porridge, oatmeal, and applesauce is like living hell.
I spent most of my time bleary eyed and in bed, staring at a wall, trying to sleep. I tried to tough out a day of work, but decided that I was a dumbass and went home early. After a couple days of this living hell, I get worried and decided to go to Kaiser. On a Saturday. On New Years Eve, Eve. And what a mistake it was.
I get there, and check in, and decide to use the bathroom. Come out of the bathroom, get called for tirage. I think to myself… oh… I might get outa here in an hour or so. Fast forward 5 hours. Yes. You read that right. 5 hours. That’s when they finally call my name. 5 freeking hours.
They take me to the back, tell me to strip, put on the gown, and sit there and wait for the doctor. The room is frigid. I have a damn sore throat, not appendicitis. This ain’t Trama Center: Under the Knife, where my heart spawns these huge glass shards out of no where and they have to cut a pentagram in me to save my life.
Fast forward 30 shivering minutes. Doctor arrives. Takes a look at my throat and says… “Yep, that’s inflamed.” Yeah. I knew that already. “It could be mono or strep. I’ll send the nurse in to take a swab and a blood test. I’m prescribing some Vicodin, Penicillin, and Prednisone (anti-inflamatory steroid). Doc disappears… I put on my clothes.
Fast forward 30 minutes. Nurse finally shows up to take my blood. Runs off… then doesn’t come back for 20 minutes. Stare at wall some more. She comes back, “Sorry sir, I’ll be right back. Won’t be more than 10 minutes.” Fast forward 20 minutes. She comes back, but forgets the paperwork. Chase her down the hall to grab it from her, then wait another 30 minutes to get my prescription filled at the pharmacy that is about a mile away, on the other side of of the hospital.
All said and done, total time 7h 15m… total treatment time, about 15m.
Way to go Kaiser.
Day later, feel way better. Uneventful, watched a lot of Law and Order.
New Year’s Day, decide that I’m tired of being trapped indoors, go out. Get a nice big steak and enjoy it. Good way to end about a week of porridge and applesauce.
Dude, that’s gotta stink. Sorry to hear that. But I coulda told you the same thing- “Hospital Service = Non-existent” during holidays. My friend’s an RN in an ER and he says if you aren’t bleeding profusely or dying, don’t expect fast service, especially during holidays. Oh and trust me, you don’t wanna piss them off too. They have too much work and too little help. But I’m glad you’re feeling better. Happy New Year man!