Swallowing Glass

That's what my throat felt like by 3:30 yesterday afternoon. I'd been fighting off something, but late yesterday afternoon it hit me like a ton of bricks. I called my regular doc. I called the number at 3:45, 4:00, 4:05, 4:10, 4:15, 4:20, and again at 4:25. All I got was a busy signal.
I called again at 4:30 - knowing they turn the phones off, but hoping I'd get someone. Not so much. I got the machine that says they are closed and to leave a message. We were going to be driving by the office, so I thought I'd take a chance. It was late -- 5:30. I know the last appointment is at 5, but I also know the docs always run late. The cars were still in the parking lot and the doors were open. There was a guy in the waiting room.
I went back to the desk where my doc's nurse is. I asked if there was any possible way they could see me. (They aren't open on the weekends and there is no other doc for 20 miles.) I was told that she was busy and that I'd have to wait an hour. I agreed and went back to the waiting room.
Then, a woman came out and told me it was going to be a two hour wait, I'd need to pay my copay in cash, and then told me a better option was the minute clinic in Warrenton. I went home and called the doc's office one more time to see if I could get the doc on call. After a 20 min. wait, I decided that the urgent care in Gainesville was a better choice.
I was almost there. The phone rang -- it was Mr. He said the doc's office called and that they were waiting for me. Really? They unlocked the door to let me out. I called them and left another message telling them that I knew they really didn't want to see me and that I was on my way to Urgent Care.
I arrived at the Urgent Care. I signed in after holding my breath and hoping they'd take my insurance -- new systems. They did. I heaved a sigh of relief and filled out the paperwork.
The waiting room was nice and orderly and they HGTV on TV. :)
They saw me in a timely fashion.
The people are all fantastic -- even after a very long day.
The rooms were clean.
They decided I did not have strep, but I have tonsillitis. Oh - and they need another culture to send out to the lab in case the rapid strep test is wrong. Yay. Another culture. What ever they wanted, I'd have given them at that point. My throat was on fire, I was fading fast, and I knew a prescription was on the horizon.
They gave me a prescription for the pain and a prescription for the inflamed tonsils.
There was a little bit of an issue at the CVS across the street, but it was all because of new systems - theirs and the doc's.
I came home. I took the medicine and went to bed.
Today I'm a whole lot better.
I knew if I could get ahead of it, I would be better. If I waited until Monday, I'd be on my rear end for the week.
I think I might need to find a doc who is open a little later, who is open on the weekends, and who doesn't leave the phone off the hook on Friday afternoons. Either that or I can just go to the Urgent Care... They really were awesome.