jose's christmas story of 2010...
as far back as i can remember i always managed to remember specific gifts i've been given during the holidays that were of some significance... interestingly enough, most of these gifts were things that couldn't be bought but only given...
this year was given a gift by someone i have never met before...
i've been sick for the past couple of months... i couldn't stop coughing no matter what i did, the only time i stopped was when i was sleeping...
naturally i declined to go to the doctor as i was unemployed and without medical insurance... of course my mother just like every other mother since the beginning of time took it upon herself to set an appointment with a lung specialist despite the fact that i argued that i have no insurance and in no financial position to pay for a two hundred dollar visit let alone any prescription medication i end up getting...
i arrived promptly at two thirty the day of my appointment... as i filled out all the new patient info and extra info they wanted from me as i had no insurance... i realized that even though i may no longer have a sickness problem, when i leave this office, i will have an even bigger money problem...
i was called towards last bunch of patients... the medical assistant took my height, weight, temperature, and vital signs... as i waited, the medical exam room all of the sudden looked so intimidating for the first time since i was toddler and afraid of needles...
the doctor came in shortly along with a medical student... he asked if it was okay if the student observed and asked questions while he treated me... remembering i was an emt student once myself shadowing fire rescue teams and hospital staff, i was glad to help... the doctor proceeded to ask about the onset of my condition and things of that nature... as the doctor poked and prodded and looked down my throat i'd hear him explain out loud to the student what he is looking for as far as signs and symptoms... after wards he listened to my lungs as did the medical student and that was the end of the exam...
the doctor said this may be from a cold that wasn't exactly cured correctly and as a result my throat has been irritated and/or i could be asthmatic... based on the history given to him from me he didn't feel a chest x-ray was necessary at this time... "i'm going to give you two medicines to rule these out and i wanna see you next month... please make an appointment with the receptionist and have yourself a merry christmas young man"
i tried desperately to find the courage to tell this doctor that i had no ways of paying him at this time let alone a second visit but alas shame and guilt took over and i all i managed to get out was "thank you doctor" before he was on his way to see his other appointments... of course the medical student followed him like a string of an untied shoe lace..
i was expecting two prescriptions both of which i couldn't afford, but i as i scrambled to put my shirt back on i was greeted by the medical assistant who had a nasal spray and inhaler in hand... she showed me how to administer the drug and indicated the dosage before giving them to me... i made my way to the receptionist, gave her my paperwork, and asked to make my appointment for next month as the doctor indicated...
i asked the receptionist how much i owed for the visit and medications and if there was any way i could pay some of it now and be billed for the rest later...
"ummmm let's se here," she replied as she looked over my paper work, "the doctor ordered no charge... you're good to go..."
o.O (insert biggest wtf face here)
"i don't understand... does he want me to pay him when i come back in january then?" i asked...
"no... he ordered no charge sir... you don't have to pay anything..."
i was rather overwhelmed... instincts wanted me to run back in and give him a big ole' hug and thank him but i knew better than to interrupt a medical professional in the middle of his practice...
i managed to say "oh... thank you so much... i'll see you next year i guess..." and i left...
it wasn't until i glanced over at the passenger seat of my car and looked at the medications he had given me before i fully realized what had happened...
in a society where i have witnessed how broken our health care has become i came across this doctor who looked at me as a sick individual rather than a patient without insurance...
his name is dr. carlos w sanchez
i will be forever grateful and hope i'll be in a position to pay this forward someday... this was nothing short of a christmas miracle for me...
i hope everyone has a fabulous christmas and an amazing new years...
this year was given a gift by someone i have never met before...
i've been sick for the past couple of months... i couldn't stop coughing no matter what i did, the only time i stopped was when i was sleeping...
naturally i declined to go to the doctor as i was unemployed and without medical insurance... of course my mother just like every other mother since the beginning of time took it upon herself to set an appointment with a lung specialist despite the fact that i argued that i have no insurance and in no financial position to pay for a two hundred dollar visit let alone any prescription medication i end up getting...
i arrived promptly at two thirty the day of my appointment... as i filled out all the new patient info and extra info they wanted from me as i had no insurance... i realized that even though i may no longer have a sickness problem, when i leave this office, i will have an even bigger money problem...
i was called towards last bunch of patients... the medical assistant took my height, weight, temperature, and vital signs... as i waited, the medical exam room all of the sudden looked so intimidating for the first time since i was toddler and afraid of needles...
the doctor came in shortly along with a medical student... he asked if it was okay if the student observed and asked questions while he treated me... remembering i was an emt student once myself shadowing fire rescue teams and hospital staff, i was glad to help... the doctor proceeded to ask about the onset of my condition and things of that nature... as the doctor poked and prodded and looked down my throat i'd hear him explain out loud to the student what he is looking for as far as signs and symptoms... after wards he listened to my lungs as did the medical student and that was the end of the exam...
the doctor said this may be from a cold that wasn't exactly cured correctly and as a result my throat has been irritated and/or i could be asthmatic... based on the history given to him from me he didn't feel a chest x-ray was necessary at this time... "i'm going to give you two medicines to rule these out and i wanna see you next month... please make an appointment with the receptionist and have yourself a merry christmas young man"
i tried desperately to find the courage to tell this doctor that i had no ways of paying him at this time let alone a second visit but alas shame and guilt took over and i all i managed to get out was "thank you doctor" before he was on his way to see his other appointments... of course the medical student followed him like a string of an untied shoe lace..
i was expecting two prescriptions both of which i couldn't afford, but i as i scrambled to put my shirt back on i was greeted by the medical assistant who had a nasal spray and inhaler in hand... she showed me how to administer the drug and indicated the dosage before giving them to me... i made my way to the receptionist, gave her my paperwork, and asked to make my appointment for next month as the doctor indicated...
i asked the receptionist how much i owed for the visit and medications and if there was any way i could pay some of it now and be billed for the rest later...
"ummmm let's se here," she replied as she looked over my paper work, "the doctor ordered no charge... you're good to go..."
o.O (insert biggest wtf face here)
"i don't understand... does he want me to pay him when i come back in january then?" i asked...
"no... he ordered no charge sir... you don't have to pay anything..."
i was rather overwhelmed... instincts wanted me to run back in and give him a big ole' hug and thank him but i knew better than to interrupt a medical professional in the middle of his practice...
i managed to say "oh... thank you so much... i'll see you next year i guess..." and i left...
it wasn't until i glanced over at the passenger seat of my car and looked at the medications he had given me before i fully realized what had happened...
in a society where i have witnessed how broken our health care has become i came across this doctor who looked at me as a sick individual rather than a patient without insurance...
his name is dr. carlos w sanchez
i will be forever grateful and hope i'll be in a position to pay this forward someday... this was nothing short of a christmas miracle for me...
i hope everyone has a fabulous christmas and an amazing new years...