(no subject)
The pleasant surprise of the week is the discovery that the pharmacist at the local university clinic is not a somewhat irritable but otherwise distinguished gent, but a drop dead gorgeous babe. I was there seeking some ibuprofen to numb the pain which was duly dispensed. "Any further questions" - quoth she, while yours truly is desperately trying to think of semi-intelligent queries on that all too familiar chemical - ibuprofen, couldn't really get much beyond "what are you doing friday night?", but didn't find the nerve to vocalise it.. There I was leaning on the newly acquired crutches, trying to hone the prefect grimace that suitably reflects manly fortitude yet is expressive enough to offer a flashing hint of intense physical pain. But, it's hard to grimace when confronted with a disarmingly pretty face, all that came out was something approaching a simper. Well, I suppose there's a few days yet to practise and get it right the next time..
The appalling state of health care in this country rarely ceases to amaze, a visit to the doctor's is definitely cause for some trepidation. This one was relatively uneventful; was promptly seen by a competent and sympathetic nurse (the fringe benefits of an obviously sprained ankle) who leads me to an exam room and says "the provider will be with you shortly" - provider??? when did "doctor" go out of fashion? The "provider" in question took his own sweet time to make his appearance leaving me to contemplate the posters on the wall (jobless huh?), lots and lots of posters on dealing with stress / managing work loads - a sign of our times maybe? Anyways, the man in question arrives, perfunctorily examines the ankle, decides its just a sprain, hands me this leaflet about stretches for sprained ankles, bandages the joint in question, arranges for a pair of crutches, and departs, all in 9 minutes - incredible.. Just as he's one foot out of the door, comes the perfunctory - "oh, by the way do you have any questions?".. Can't really fault the doctors, sorry "providers", I'm sure they're under pressure from the bloody insurance to fit as many patients as possible into their schedule. Nationalised health care anyone?
Socialist rant done, the upshot of it all is I'm stuck with crutches for the next week - ten days. The prospect of warm summer days with your feet up, sipping summer ale, catching up on the fate of Saleem Sinai and his fellow Midnight's Children sounds like a pretty good deal, what say dear reader? Maybe I could even wheedle a joint or two off the neighbours, light a joint to heal a joint ;)
The appalling state of health care in this country rarely ceases to amaze, a visit to the doctor's is definitely cause for some trepidation. This one was relatively uneventful; was promptly seen by a competent and sympathetic nurse (the fringe benefits of an obviously sprained ankle) who leads me to an exam room and says "the provider will be with you shortly" - provider??? when did "doctor" go out of fashion? The "provider" in question took his own sweet time to make his appearance leaving me to contemplate the posters on the wall (jobless huh?), lots and lots of posters on dealing with stress / managing work loads - a sign of our times maybe? Anyways, the man in question arrives, perfunctorily examines the ankle, decides its just a sprain, hands me this leaflet about stretches for sprained ankles, bandages the joint in question, arranges for a pair of crutches, and departs, all in 9 minutes - incredible.. Just as he's one foot out of the door, comes the perfunctory - "oh, by the way do you have any questions?".. Can't really fault the doctors, sorry "providers", I'm sure they're under pressure from the bloody insurance to fit as many patients as possible into their schedule. Nationalised health care anyone?
Socialist rant done, the upshot of it all is I'm stuck with crutches for the next week - ten days. The prospect of warm summer days with your feet up, sipping summer ale, catching up on the fate of Saleem Sinai and his fellow Midnight's Children sounds like a pretty good deal, what say dear reader? Maybe I could even wheedle a joint or two off the neighbours, light a joint to heal a joint ;)