urgent care and poison ivy...what a mix

Last weekend, we went camping. Hubster got poison ivy. He. got. it. bad. He looked horrible. His nose and arms swelled up. We went to an urgent care facility which ended up being rude and more expensive than if I had taken him to the ER. Why is that? You would think that an UC would be quicker and cheaper than the ER. Isn't the ER for EMERGENCIES? What is Urgent Care?

Tuesday, we went to the Urgent Care AFTER I checked with my insurance co. about where I should go. I even called the UC and made sure that yes they did take my insurance and they also took walk-ins and to please not bother making an appt. over the phone but please drive immediately to the UC. We get there and walk in at 9:15AM. The UC opened at 9AM.

We were met by a rude receptionist that told us that we would have to wait until they could work us in that even though they had UC written on the building that they still had a schedule to keep. I told the lady that my hubster had poison ivy and I would appreciate her making us time so that my hubster could get the all important shot of steroids.

We went and sat down and I filled out all of the important information and then we waited. and waited. and waited. Finally, hubster was called to come on back. I told him that I would just sit there (cause I might want to give the shot.) and I would see him in a bit. I started reading and not but a few minutes later did he come around the corner again. They had only checked his height/weight/bp. So we waited. and waited. and waited.

His name was called again. I again said I would just sit there and see him in a bit. They wanted him to give a urine sample. He asked why as he knew exactly what he had and just needed a shot. The nurse told him they checked for other infections or something. He declined and said he couldn't go. He came and sat back down next to me and we waited.

While all of this was going on there were people coming in and out of the door for flu shots. I watched at least 20 people walk in the door go to the receptionist and give her their driver's license and sign a piece of paper, walk back and get the shot and leave. Over and over did people come through that door. Hubster needed a shot too, just not the right kind apparently. We sat and waited at the UC for 2 1/4 hours.

He was finally called back to see the Dr. The Dr. told him that she wasn't going to give him a shot but instead would prescribe pills to help him. Her logic for this was that the pills wouldn't leave a dent in his hip as a shot would. Like he is going around town showing off is hips anyway is beyond me but whatever. Hubster knew what she was prescribing as he had taken it before when he was younger. Had I been back there I would have told her to give him the shot all ready.

Hubster has had poison ivy quite a few times in his life. Your body starts to develop an allergy to it. I did not know that. Your body also has a "memory" of where you have had posion ivy before. And that "memory" will remember and break out exactly in that same spot even if it was not exposed. This happened to hubster. He was miserable. So he took the prescription and then came and got me. We paid out and it cost us $95 and that was discounted from $120. (A couple of weeks back I had to go to the ER for a cyst that burst. I was in and out within a couple of hours and it only cost us $75. Thanks UC! NOT!)

Hubster got the pills from the pharmacy immediately. He had to take 6 pills the first day and 5 the second day, and so on until there was just one pill left. The Dr. had also prescribed him some anti itching pills as well as steroid cream. He is looking and feeling much better.