Breakdown

The one downside of beautiful weather is the increased risk of injury from romping around outside (see previous post).

I suffered such an injury when I fumbled for a frisbee and twisted my ankle. At first I wasn't too concerned since I was still able to walk the mile back home without any problem.

But all of a sudden, 4 hours after the initial incident, this killer pain started to emanate from my ankle. It was a pain like you could not believe. Throbbing, intense, angry, unabating. Even when I didn't move it I wanted to pass out from the pain.


After lying around the couch with an ice bag for 2 hours I finally decided to go to the ER.

It was midnight by this time when Michael wheeled me in. What followed was the most infuriating experience I've ever had at a medical facility.


The doctor literally saw me for...oh, something like 2 minutes. He didn't even touch my ankle or foot. He gave a mere glance, said he doesn't see anything wrong with it and told me goodbye!

Goodbye?!!!!

Hell no! I've been literally shaking in pain for 4 hours and dragged myself down here in the middle of the night so you can just take a peak at it and then send me on my way?! What the hell?! I'm seriously writing this man up. This will be a mark on his license. I'm writing the AMA. His bedside manners are appalling!

I tried to reason with him...the pain...the horrible intense pain...surely there might be something wrong despite the lack of swelling...maybe it's a fracture on the inside...something that required an x-ray? Maybe he could at least give me some wrap bandages? Some vicodin for the pain?

He looked at me like I was some pain-medicine junkie and said there was nothing he could do for me. He did give me a pair of crutches though and an air splint after I wouldn't stopping nagging him.

And after further nagging he said he'd give me an x-ray referral so I could check it out later. Well, today I went to go get x-rays and found out that stupid doctor screwed me again. I was supposed to get an ankle x-ray but he had referred a foot x-ray for me instead! Idiot.


I had to play the bureaucratic medical game today...running between floors, waiting in various lines, filling out various forms...seeing face after face of sour medical receptionists, technicians, and nurses...

"I know the form says "foot" x-ray but he was treating me for an ankle fracture so I really need an "ankle" x-ray," is what I said.

But what I wanted to say was, "What the hell is so hard about moving your x-ray machine down one inch to capture my freaking ankle instead of just my foot?! You idiotic, pencil-pushing, bureaucratic numskull?! It was a stupid clerical error!!! Just look in your stupid computer and you can see HE TREATED ME FOR AN ANKLE FRACTURE!!!!"

On another note, why is everyone in the University Health Services profession pissed off? Everyone I saw gave me a withering look--like I was as welcome as an STD infection. Sheesh! Excuse me for living!

Anyway, after wasting countless hours and expended emotions, a nurse finally told me there were no visible fractures from my ankle x-rays. That's it.

She didn't sit down and ask me my symptoms, history, etc. She didn't even look at my ankle swathed in bandages! She didn't even show me my x-rays so who knows if she was telling me this just to finally get rid of me!

But I have it on her authority--nurse somebody, I don't even know her name--that my ankle should be fine in a few days.

Great.

At this point, I'm more concerned about the state of medical care in this country than about my ankle.