No Cure on the Horizon
Adam enjoying ice cream.
And then at 12:00 I felt as sick as I did the last 2 days which is really really sick. I decided to go to a medical clinic and see if there is a magic elixir that I'm missing. Now, I have never complained about the Canadian health system before - my father is a physician and my wife is a nurse so I'm pretty tied into things. But, today, I started to see the potential benefit of pay for service, because when you don't pay (at least directly), then you don't get much service.
The first clinic I went to, had a sign that said the doctor had met his regulated quota for the day and couldn't see any more patients. So, Adam and I ambled down to the mall - we were told it would be an hour wait, so we got ice cream and waited. After an hour I came back to the clinc - they said it would be at least another 45 minutes. I was trying to figure out wether I had stumbled into the one clinic that performed major surgeries that take several hours.
I decide to drop the boy at home, seeing as sitting in the waiting room wasn't going to hold his interest much more. Drop him off, come back - wait another 20 minutes and then go in the little room and wait about another 10 minutes. - In total it was almost a 2 and a half hour wait for a 5 minute consult. I could be tempted to pay for service, just to save the time.
Dr, Lazlow comes in, looking very harried. I tell him what's going on and ask if there is anything else I can do for a faster recovery. He checks me over, and says,
"Avoid exhaustion. You have a virus - it will screw around in your body for 7-10 days. Drink water and sleep."
Swell - no marathons in my immediate future, and don't stray from what has now become my regular routine of sipping water, poking at food, passing out in my bed and watching movies.
So basically, I have a few more days left of this funk. The hardest thing is the inability to concentrate on reading. Reading is basically the major thing I do in sermon preparation, besides praying and writing. Reading is also one of my top 3 leisure activities - so it is really frustrating to have books piled up that I can't enjoy. I sort of feel like an illiterate unemployed guy. I'm so weak I can't even do stuff w. Adam and Soph.
Ugh.
On a brighter note, I am thoroughly enjoying the new U2 album - NLOTH. It is fantastic, despite the horrible "boots" single - which does sound good live.
I have to say, I think U2 was quite savvy in playing letterman all week, and also doing some comedy bits. I'm sure it didn't cost them very much to do, yet what amazing publicity and marketing!
Tour plans are going to be released soon. I had hoped this would be the tour I could take my kids to - I have a feeling Adam will get fed up pretty fast and want to bolt out of there. (I mean Adam N., not Adam C.)
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Then a couple of weeks ago I had some back problems and needed to see a doctor. My girlfriend (a national) called the best surgeon in the city and his secretary told her to bring me to the office in an hour or so.
With no appointment really, we waited 10 minutes or so and then I got in to see him. We've done that twice more since then. If I call in the morning, I can be in after lunch. And this guy is one of the best in the country.
Of course, for the consult, I pay half a week's wages for the average person. That makes me grumpy. But...still, it's kind of nice to get in so quickly when you need to...
I'm conflicted. =)
By the way, I don't think you know me, but we have mutual friends in the Saskatoon area...