So you may or may not know this very strange fact about me: when I'm feeling sick, I really like to take my temperature. It's just something that I want to know...is it getting higher? Am I almost back to normal? Am I meningitis status? So 2 days ago, I was on Fever Watch 2011 (similar, but less exciting than Fever Watch 2010. At numerous times throughout the day, I slinked out of the office to the bathroom to take my temperature. I even did it on the subway on my way back from Brooklyn. My recorded temperatures: 100.6, 101.8, 103.0, 103.3 (!!!), 100.8, 100.1, 101.4.
But that's not the point of this post, though I love revealing embarrassing and weird things about myself. Mostly I want to complain about the ridiculous doctor's appointment that I had yesterday. After some encouragement (read: people telling me I was out of my mind to be at work with a 103.3 fever), I made an appointment for yesterday during my lunch break. 1:15 PM; what a perfect time when lunch is usually between 1 and 2 and this place was literally 5 minutes away from my office. Right? So I ate my lunch a little early, and at 1 o'clock, left my office to go get myself some answers.
I walk into the office and it's 1:10 PM. It's empty, but I can hear the doctor in a room with a patient. I fill out some forms, pretty standard. Except when I go to pay my co-pay, it turns out I only have $4, and they don't take cards. Awesome. So I run to the ATM and take out money, which the receptionist doesn't have change for at her desk...she creepily goes behind a few doors then comes back out with 2 folded up five dollar bills. Very strange. But I sit and wait.
And wait. And wait. Geez, what's taking so long? I've seen the doctor and her patient go in and out of three different rooms, and it's now 1:45 PM and I haven't even been seen yet. It's making me nervous, because most agents here don't even take a lunch break. So I'm checking my watch and huffing and puffing and finally at 2 PM the doctor comes out and takes me back to (drum roll please) her office. Not an examination room. She asks, "Are you ok? You look a little stressed." To which I reply, "Yeah, it's just, this is my lunch break." Her response? "OK, we'll make this quick. Do you work within walking distance?" I'm sorry, what? No apologies for making me wait 45 minute? Awesome.
She checks my chart and then decides to ask me if I'm sure I'm taking Dorxy (which is an antibiotic I take for my skin). Why, yes doctor, I'm sure! I take it every day! Yes, I'm sure I take it once a day. Yes, I'm sure it's Doryx. Yes, that's the correct dosage. I'm sorry, I'm not four years old. I know what medication I'm taking. I've been taking it since November, I know, trust me. Yes, my temperature was 103.3. No, no, not 100.3. Yes, 103.3. Mhm.
Then this woman doesn't even take my temperature! I don't care if I told you I think it's back to normal. If I crossed the 103 threshold, you might want to check, just to be sure. Especially since I told you I'm having muscle aches and stiffness, oh but wait, you didn't feel my lovely swollen glands or down my shoulders to feel the tension. So glad that someone officially told me I didn't have meningitis! Oh, wait.
Though since then my fever has broken entirely and I'm feeling less and less sick, I'm annoyed. I took too long of a lunch break and paid $10 to have someone tell me I didn't look sick so I must be fine. She literally said, "People with bacterial infections look really bad, and you look okay to me," and then didn't do anything except test me for strep. And I've had my fair share of strep tests, but this one...done without a tongue depressor. That's probably TMI but I KNOW strep tests. And that's not the way to do them.
In conclusion, Dr. Chung, go back to med school.
Sorry.
