We can start small if you like. What about the fact that they've been using the same highlights, women's days, farmer's almanacs, science mags (only one type of course), soap opera's digests, and people mags for the same 20 to 30 years. Really? They couldn't just get one or two subscriptions and have some new reading material, for the extraordinarily long wait time we all are going to have to endure? Couldn't that be considered torture? And how slimy with bacteria are those magazines anyway? Day after day, month after month, year after year, being touched and prodded (oh and don't forget the lick your finger to turn the page people), all by sick people or people who are caring for sick people. People who have just wiped their nose on their ineffective now broken tissue. Need I go on?
That quite nicely brings me to my next issue. The lovely atmoshpere. You walk in past the coughing and snotting people to the little window. As you are introducing yourself, you try not to notice all the greasy fingerprints and hand smears at the bottom... knowing full well that they are also on the pen you will be shoved in just a second. You can't do anything about it, because once again, you forgot a pen, as you do every time. Of course you were more interested in making sure you had clean underwear and non-smelly socks at the doctor's office. Inevitably you hear some heinous hacking behind you (probably a little too close for comfort). Usually it's a wet one. The question that comes to mind first? Do I have a giant loogie on my back? The waiting area is just an uncomfortable germ infested primitive place in which we are forced to sit and sit and sit.
The wait is so long yet always, they have such truly uncomfortable chairs. I'm pretty sure doctors have heard of lumbar support. I know doctors are over worked, and over booked. However if they know and we know that there is going to be a huge wait, couldn't there be blankets and a cot? Anything to make it more bearable.
It might be why they went for T.V. in the waiting rooms. Is it necessary to have the T.V. on? I think not. There are one of three things on, in any office, a game show (Price is Right or Wheel of Fortune), news or soap operas. None of these are good options. The state people are in, news and soap operas can worsen their mood in a nano-second. Bad move. Games shows have a better chance, but you also always get that annoying person who enjoys shouting out answers or just claps or yahoos, which annoys everyone else. Oh yeah, and did I mention they put it on just loud enough for everyone to know it's on but not loud enough for anyone to know what is being said?
Then of course there is the actual doctor's office. It is generally better. It's also much easier to believe that it's free of germs. I generally have no problems exactly with doctors, but it's not usually thrilling either. One option, I'm there because something is wrong. That's not happy. Or I'm there because I have to be for an analysis for the year or whatever. I am getting older you know. If it's for an analysis- that means needles and urine. Yuk and yuk.
So this was the reason I saw the doctor today. An analysis, getting to know your new doctor's office analysis. Yippee! Even better, after only 5 hours of sleep, I got to get up at 7 to get there by 8... wow so lucky am I. I am in a different country now. Things are a bit different. I will say, although the waits can be long they are not consistently. And there are no magazines in the waiting area- one problem solved. There is no T.V.- two problems solved. Chairs... still horribly uncomfortable. And although there is still the human contingent, somehow the place seems much cleaner. Maybe it's the lack of decorating, maybe not, I don't really care. It's nice. It's also nice that the door is left open.
The urine. Don't worry, I won't go into too much detail. Promise! But if you here what they have a person do you might understand another reason it's so clean in there. The time I went in to meet my doctor, she said she wanted an analysis, so I made the appointment at the desk. Before the woman let me leave she handed me a plastic bag with a plastic cup. I glanced at it, and put it in my bag and left. Later, I looked more carefully. Actually there were also two test tubes. True. So now I'm quite confused (as if I wasn't already a bit doubtful on how to walk for ten minutes without spilling my urine out of a plastic cup with no top). I ask my boyfriend, what's up with the test tubes? He briefly looked, he said he wasn't sure but it's pretty obvious right, you put your pee in them. Oh, so I felt a bit ridiculous for not figuring it out. Still, all I could think of was spilling all over the place, I'm quite good at klutzy. My point being, everyone does the dirty bit at home, cleans it up before they come, and the toilets there aren't puddles with urine. Again problem solved!
Now, for the blood draw. I always hate this. I know it doesn't hurt, not really. Yet I can't stand it. Luckily, it was smooth. Actually I almost didn't feel it at all. Truly shocking. But as per usual I did not stay the five minutes after the blood draw. Nor did I eat something like a cookie. I just went on my merry way. And that is all there is to say.
kimbersfrog
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