after spending 3 hours in one of those "30 minute wait only" clinics ...

... it looks like we might be getting my mom (and her back) some relief. At least I hope so.

We were supposed to go to her doctor's office today. Her main doc is out at a conference, but we were supposed to see a colleague. When by 10am I hadn't heard anything, I called and the nurse called me back to say that the colleague cancelled his whole day and so did the only other doctor there - it may have been some hospital emergency. I hope it wasn't golf. They suggested we go to an urgent care place.

I'm past getting upset at the lack of bedside manner. I'm numb. So I packed my mom up and off we went/hobbled. Apart from the horrendous waiting, once we were checked in (that part was fast, as advertised), it really wasn't so bad. The staff was very nice, we got the x-rays we needed, and the scrips.

I had a lot of time to think while we were there and I was wondering why anyone needs a primary care doctor at all, if they have insurance. Doctors' offices are very difficult to deal with. House calls are a thing of the past, in most cases. I don't think there are any real Doc Hollywoods out there. Maybe it's time to ditch the academy and all the palsy-walsy that docs do - they are always recommending that you go see a specialist, who also happens to be a buddy from their medical school days. Hardly anyone looks at the whole person, the whole body anymore. Which is why I'm so partial to acupuncture.

Maybe it's time for something else. Revolution, people.

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