better than an ER

I wake up this morning feeling sore.  I contemplate going to the ER.  I had promised my sister I would.  But it’ll cost at least $200; I’ll be among sick and injured people; and worst of all, I will be there for hours and hours. 

I remember many years ago being at a sales meeting with M in Dallas.  The day before, I had caught my thumb in a ski binder and had lost my nail.  We were bored with the meeting so we went over to Parkland Memorial, the public hospital where Kennedy was taken and where he later died.  I think they specialize in gunshot wounds.  At least that’s how it looked from their ER.  So going to an emergency room for a stich or two on my elbow is about as serious as going for a nail loss from a ski binder.  I really didn’t want to go.

To be safe though, I call my doctor.   She tells me what I don't want to hear.  "To avoid infection, you proably should go.  I would."   Ughhhhh!  But then I remember a conversation from book club.  One of the women had visited a nearby walk-in clinic and thought it was great.  Now  that would be so much better than an emergency room visit.

I google walk-in clinics and find City MD on 86^th Street, just a few blocks from where I live.  Among their services, they treat “lacerations requiring stitches, cuts, scrapes, wounds.”  Yelp gives this clinic 4.5 out of 5 stars.  Sounds perfect.

I get there and the place is immaculate and uncrowded. I hand over my license and insurance card, fill out a short form, and I’m seen within ten minutes.

The area behind the front desk is large, and even includes an x-ray room. Everyone is professional.  A technician takes down my information, and within five minutes the doctor comes in.  He is great.  I learn from him that really, you should get stitches within 8 hours (not the 24 I thought).  So it is too late to have my elbow stitched.  Instead he cleans it, and applies a  liquid bandage and some butterfly enclosures  He gives me a tetanus shot also, as my last one was almost ten years ago.  He is personable, kind, and competent.

I go to pay my $50 co-pay and am told it is only $25.  I am back in my apartment an hour after leaving it.  I google YELP City MD one last time, and give the clinic 5 stars.  Now I just have  to worry about my blouse.