Things that Happen to Us!

Last Friday afternoon I had off work. John and I took the boys to LaCrosse. John had a doctor appt, and I had schedule flu vaccines for the boys. Rylan was due for his 2nd shot (required) and Cameron was going to try the Flu Mist this year. John was to pick Cameron up and meet me and Rylan in Winona. Well, as luck would have it, he got busy and was running late. Cameron began to not feel well and I'm sure his "hurried" driving didn't help. We ran about 10 min late but thankfully the clinic was understanding. I dropped John at his appt and I stayed in the car with the kids who were sleeping! Ahhhh... well, that is until I parked the car. Cameron woke up. About 20 min later, Rylan was up. We ventured in the clinic and waited for John at his appt. After that, he had to go to the lab to give blood. We waited again. Kids, not so good at that. When we were done we went all the way across town to Pediatrics where the flu vaccinations were to happen, and we had an appt since it was the "flu clinic". Low and behold, the line is a mile long! Appts, don't matter that day. They are short staffed, go figure! So we wait some more. Finally, our turn. The nurse comes in tells me they are out of flu mist... would Cameron consider a shot? By the look on his face, I didn't even have to reply. She went out the door in hunt to find one last dose somewhere! And that was before consulting with us... So we waited. About 20 min later she returned only to refuse to give it to Cameron because he sounded like he had a head cold! I understood, it is a live virus, but we could have skipped the waiting for nothing part. So, Rylan gets his shot (not a happy boy) and out we go. Just to be on the safe side I had them do a throat culture on Cameron for strep throat. It was negative, but I thought why risk going all the way back home (50 min) just to have to come back.
This brings us to the next night, Saturday. We went with my parents to Prairie du Chien and got there around 2pm or so. Cameron was seeming ok, but didn't look 100%. We decided to eat supper around 4pm. Sure enough in the middle of dinner Cameron starts complaining about his ear hurting. We hurried to finish eating and enroute back to home I called the Clinic in La Crosse to see what time Urgent Care was open until. We had to go through that city to get home, figured we might as well nip this in the bud (kind of like I tried to do the night before). Well, Urgent Care closed at 5pm. We got to La Crosse at 5:20pm. It was a choice between once again go all the way home or take him in the ER to have him looked at. At this point he was wanting to go to the dr. So, off we go. I parked the car (with John, Rylan, and my parents in it). I went in and told them the story. By this time Cameron's eyes were looking pink and icky. The girl in admitting told me they weren't busy, so it shouldn't be long. Thank goodness, my family was waiting! We had a seat in the waiting room. We were called shortly to meet with a nurse. She observed Cameron and said "oh, he looks like he's got pink eye too". After she asked Cameron his pain level on a chart. It had a row of faces ranging from happy to very unhappy. He of course pointed to happy.... unhappy might mean a shot. I laughed and said if he was a happy we wouldn't be here! So, after that we go back to the waiting room to be called. We waited 30 min, then we were at 1 hr, then about 1hr 15 min later John called me on me cell to find out what was going on. At this point I was asking that very question. Every single person who came in after us was getting called! So then it's 2hrs later and my blood is boiling! A nurse came out to give Cameron a cracker and apple juice. John called to say Rylan was having an absolute meltdown in the car. I would have walked out of there except you know you keep thinking 10 more min and we have to get called! Finally 2hrs and 20min later were called in... only to be stuck in another room! After waiting nearly a total of 3hrs, I lost it! I pushed the buzzer for a nurse and went off. I told them in a dr wasn't in there in 5 min, we were leaving and filing a report! Well, the dr came. What did he do? NOTHING! He was in the room for about 2 min. He gave a prescription to get filled and told me his eyes were just part of a viral cold. That was it. I could have screamed! Well, I did actually.
Let me tell you what's happened since then. I did call the clinic 4 days later on Wednesday to report the incident. I figured if they don't know, they can't do anything.
The prescription the dr gave us was what they would give an adult! The dose and the size of pills. Cameron couldn't swallow them.
And to top it all off, he did have pink eye! How do I know? My mom woke up the next day with her eyes stuck shut! Rylan had it in one eye this past Friday, then Saturday in both eyes. And the cycle is yet to stop!
Sorry, normally I don't use the blog to vent. But I tell you, I was so disappointed in this clinic. I had better NOT get a whopper bill for that visit or I will go balistic!