The week-end and the ER!

This week-end I had to take Bridget to the ER. It wasn't serious, so then why take her to the ER? I pleaded with the Pediatrician on call, but he insisted that she have a strep test and I insisted that she had strep. He said no Prescription unless I took her in, so I reluctantly agreed. He said he would call ahead and all I would have to do was have the lab take a quick swab and we could leave.

Now, this should have been easy, right? RIGHT!! I got there and the place was packed. Beyond belief. It looked like a Sunday Brunch. There must have been 20 people from the same Church or Family that just had to show up at the ER. Were they sick you ask? NO! Someone had been brought in from what I overheard and it sounded like they had to have some test run in xray (dye), so I'm sure it was serious, but why the heck would everyone and their mother need to be in the ER taking up seats for those that were really sick.

Remember, I didn't want to be there! So, I registered Bridget and we waited by the Registration desk as there were only a few seats in the sick area and I was not taking her over there. We waited and we waited and waited....Bryce came over after church so that he could take her home while I went to the store and we waited and waited and waited. The nice lady who registered us went on break and when she returned was not happy that we were still there. She called the lab for us and then politely escorted us to the back to have a swab done. Once that was done, we left. I knew it was step and did the Dr. ever call? NO, but he did call in the Prescription. I wish he would have just listened to me. I probably have more experience than he does with knowing what is wrong with my kids. I have 6 for gosh sakes. Bridget is my classic kid for strep and if she is within 50 miles of someone who has it, then she will get it.

Now, back to my ER rant, because I'm not done on this topic. I'm really ticked at the entire Health Care system at this point.

So, while we are waiting in an ER full of people who think this is party time. I want to know why in the heck would you bring your children to the ER to wait for someone who is sick? Now, I do understand if you have to bring in a spouse, significant other, parent, grandparent, other child and don't have anyone to leave children with, but this can't always be the case. There were kids from the "Brunch Group" that were running all over the place catching who knows what and I will never feel bad for my 2 yr old that still has a bottle when there was a 5-6 yr old with a Pacifier - yes, a PACIFIER on a Pacifier clip no less - heck she might lose it!

Oh, I'm not done yet. Then the little Miss 18yr old comes in with her mother and I assume boyfriend because no one gets married these days. Or as I like to call them FOB (father of the baby). She has a fever, had one since last night when she had previously visited the ER and found out she was pregnant. So, I'm thinking ectopic pregnancy, but her only symptom is a fever and get this, it was 101. I wanted to give her $10, tell her to get some Tylenol, ginger ale, go home to bed and quit driving up my medical costs because she was costing me more than the $10 that I would give her. When we left, she was eating a banana, so I'm sure she wasn't too sick and that Tylenol would have worked just fine, but remember the poor thing was pregnant - what - 2 weeks along?

OK, I think I'm done now until our next visit to the ER.