Clinic From Hell

I had an interesting experience last week. I had a sinus infection several weeks ago. I had to beg, borrow, and steal to get a z-pack because I don't have a family practice doc. I decided it was time to address this problem. I got advice from a few friends before making an appointment with a doctor here in town who shall remain nameless. She came very highly recommended and I felt even more confident when I called her clinic and the the woman who answered the phone gushed on and on about what a wonderful doctor I was going to soon see. Unfortunately, I had to wait three weeks for an appointment. I thought this lady must really be popular!

The magic day finally arrived. I drove down to the clinic very excited to meet my new doc. The clinic looked very tidy from the outside. A well maintained red brick building with an even better parking lot. I walked in the front door, took a quick look around and wondered if I was in the right place. The guy at the front desk was cordial enough but I was still in shock at what I was seeing in the waiting area. There were so many people crammed into such a small place that I'm sure they had to breaking a fire code and of course the only place I could find to sit was next to this old guy with a bad toupee. He smelled weird and he wouldn't stop calling people on his cell phone just to bitch at them. Very annoying.

I took a deep breath and began filling out my new patient paper work. I arrived a whole fifteen minutes early to this too! I grew more and more uncomfortable as I began to actually look at the people around me. There were people in pajamas with blankets wrapped around them and the phlegm, my God the phlegm! I thought, this is a freaking urgent care and nobody bothered to mention this little detail to me. As the clock kept ticking I started toying with the idea of just leaving. I decided the to stay just a little longer though since I had to pee so bad.

The bathroom turned out to be an adventure all on it's own. Lets see, where do I start? The floor had obviously not been mopped maybe ever, the toilet seat was hanging by only one hinge which is tricky when you are a girl, the sink and everything around it made me wonder if I would expose myself to more germs by washing my hands or not washing my hands. (I gutted it up and took the chance on washing them.)

I went back out to the waiting area for a little while longer. Since my appointment was at 9:15 and it was now 10:00. I decided that they must be more comfortable taking care of people who have no appointments at all and that they were apparently making a good business of it. When I announced to the receptionist that I was unwilling to wait any longer, he informed me that mornings are always busy for them and he asked me if I would like to come back in the afternoon.

Let me think, I live in Spanish Springs and this clinic is in down town Reno. Gas is pushing $4 a gallon plus, An afternoon outing would mean that I would have to bring my currently healthy children with me to this petri dish of infection and disease. How bout NO!!