I’m sad and kinda ticked off, right now.

Right before leaving to take BudBud to soccer this afternoon, I thought I’d check my throat because it’s SO sore… It got suddenly REALLY sore last night after I had felt pretty much normal for 2 days.  Guess what I found when I flashed the flashlight in my mouth?  YUP, white spots! Bunches of little white spots in my throat, a very red throat.  It feels like Strep Throat – firey sore throat with sick tummy and low fever (so far) and general body aches… And it looks like Strep Throat, too.

It’s not just that I probably have strep throat that makes me sad or mad, though.

First off, the only Saturday clinic in town closed an hour early today (for some unknown reason), so we didn’t make it to the clinic after BudBud’s soccer game.

Then, I was given two other options for possible Saturday clinics, and I ran by them both. As expected, they were closed.

After talking to the pharmacist at the drug store near our house, I came home to call the clinic that our family doctor is part of to get their on-call doctor.  (Incidentally, the clinic that closed early today was the ‘Southside’ office of our clinic…) Our family doctor is out of town for the WHOLE month of February, so I wouldn’t be able to talk to her at all.

Finally, the on-call doctor for our clinic could only tell me to go to Emergency or to wait until Monday, because there is NO Sunday clinic in town. There was no other option.  I told him I was about 99% positive that this is strep, being very well acquainted with it, many times, and asked if he was comfortable phoning in a prescription for me. NOPE! Not a chance. No Way! “See you in the clinic on Monday,” was the essence of what he was saying. End of story.

NOW, I understand that people abuse the system, so precautions must be taken so avoid creating antibiotic-resistant superbugs, etc. I also understand that there IS a possibility that it’s just a virus, since my sore throat was tickly and made me cough.  But sheesh! I’m a MOM, I know what strep looks like, and I know my own body…. My pharmacist said he thought for sure in this case (since the clinic, officially my OWN clinic was closed early) that something could be done. ERGH!

So, the on-call doc, who sounded put out by having to return my page, is comfortable with me getting more sick for a couple of days, even though last time it took 2 rounds of antibiotics (and the 2 doctor’s appointments or clinic visits to get those prescriptions) to get rid of the strep throat, and strep throat always kicks my butt. Like I have the extra time or energy to be sick right now! Either get sicker, or I should go sit for 2+ hours with people who are sick with other things and possibly share my germs with them, and theirs with me?

Is this how we expect our Emergency Rooms to be used?

I’m not pleased. And it feels like I have no alternative….

This isn’t the only issue I’ve had with my clinic, or the clinic staff there.  It’s not even the only issue I had with that clinic today!  Those details will be a WHOLE other post, though. No, I’m not pleased.

I will give it overnight and see if it the spots, sore throat, stomach ache, body aches and fever get any worse.  If I really think it’s Strep, I may be in the Emergency Room tomorrow.  I’m sad and ticked off about that. Mostly ticked off, though.