Life might be most grand when you make those sudden, fabulous discoveries and think where has THIS been my whole life!?! This little chick is so delighted to have had one of those moments yesterday. I've been battling with a seasonal cold, manifesting its ugly self in a funky cough and a plugged up ear. One ear. Major pain. Not physical pain, as in ear infection, but inconvenience pain, as in I can't hear anyone and I walk around saying "huh?" and bending my head. Thirty-six years young, conjuring up the image of my 90 year old grandma. A big old Italian-accented "haah?"
All you clever friends will say "go to the doctor," which is exactly what my boss said to me yesterday. Perhaps tired of listening to me try to talk to clients on the phone through the coughing spells? Who has time, I wondered? A doctor's appointment would mean taking half a day off from work and while perhaps makes complete sense, doesn't seem worthwhile enough for me to do. So like most moms, I neglected my own health in the busyness of my kids, their school work, their sports schedules, our church and my secretarial duties, and life in general. This little old cough and clogged up ear would just have to wait.
I'm the adult who was the girl who would wrap a foot in an ace bandage and walk around limping, when nothing was wrong at all. I have some funny, and a little weird health habits. Maybe it was a wrapped foot, occassionally it was a wrapped arm. Sling and all, I would pretend to have something broken. A clogged up ear is an invitation to try to unclog by some less than conventional methods. Using my palm as a suction happened, I must confess. All that clogginess in there needed to be broken up sometime. I did try a conventional method or two as well. I chewed gum until I nearly puked. My closest relatives know about my gum-chewing recurring nightmare so I should get full credit for trying this resolution. I also tried decongestant and when the drowsy, aka silliness commenced, The Hub told me to lay off that stuff.
And then, magic happened. I had one of those priceless moments. My boss suggested I try CVS' Minute Clinic.
Wow. Fireworks! Kaa-Blam! 
What is this thing I have not heard of? A walk-in clinic, she tells me. Go in, sign in the computer and someone will check out your routine problem for the low, low price of your co-pay. So this old gal headed right there after work yesterday evening. I put it on my errand run list, falling in line right after purchasing my makeup at the mall and having my wedding ring resized (don't ask!).
I walked in to CVS, prepared to touch the touch screen sign in and the lovely nurse asked me what I needed. I swear I could see her halo and wings spread behind her. Maybe even a aura of white light shining? Before I even had a chance to log in, she ushered me into the consultation room, checked out my ears, told me I had fluid build up and told me to take a decongestant for 3 or 4 days straight, chew gum and have a nice day. She spoke so fast I had to make up a question just to get her to pause for a breath and repeat the instructions. Diagnosis delivered, I stood up and asked her if I needed to do any paperwork or anything and she told me no. She was too tired and to have a nice night. Closing time was less than an hour away and I suppose this was the perfect time to visit the Minute Clinic.
All you clever friends will say "go to the doctor," which is exactly what my boss said to me yesterday. Perhaps tired of listening to me try to talk to clients on the phone through the coughing spells? Who has time, I wondered? A doctor's appointment would mean taking half a day off from work and while perhaps makes complete sense, doesn't seem worthwhile enough for me to do. So like most moms, I neglected my own health in the busyness of my kids, their school work, their sports schedules, our church and my secretarial duties, and life in general. This little old cough and clogged up ear would just have to wait.
I'm the adult who was the girl who would wrap a foot in an ace bandage and walk around limping, when nothing was wrong at all. I have some funny, and a little weird health habits. Maybe it was a wrapped foot, occassionally it was a wrapped arm. Sling and all, I would pretend to have something broken. A clogged up ear is an invitation to try to unclog by some less than conventional methods. Using my palm as a suction happened, I must confess. All that clogginess in there needed to be broken up sometime. I did try a conventional method or two as well. I chewed gum until I nearly puked. My closest relatives know about my gum-chewing recurring nightmare so I should get full credit for trying this resolution. I also tried decongestant and when the drowsy, aka silliness commenced, The Hub told me to lay off that stuff.
And then, magic happened. I had one of those priceless moments. My boss suggested I try CVS' Minute Clinic.
Wow. Fireworks! Kaa-Blam! 
What is this thing I have not heard of? A walk-in clinic, she tells me. Go in, sign in the computer and someone will check out your routine problem for the low, low price of your co-pay. So this old gal headed right there after work yesterday evening. I put it on my errand run list, falling in line right after purchasing my makeup at the mall and having my wedding ring resized (don't ask!).I walked in to CVS, prepared to touch the touch screen sign in and the lovely nurse asked me what I needed. I swear I could see her halo and wings spread behind her. Maybe even a aura of white light shining? Before I even had a chance to log in, she ushered me into the consultation room, checked out my ears, told me I had fluid build up and told me to take a decongestant for 3 or 4 days straight, chew gum and have a nice day. She spoke so fast I had to make up a question just to get her to pause for a breath and repeat the instructions. Diagnosis delivered, I stood up and asked her if I needed to do any paperwork or anything and she told me no. She was too tired and to have a nice night. Closing time was less than an hour away and I suppose this was the perfect time to visit the Minute Clinic.
Now, this is my kind of routine doctor visit. If dentist and ob-gyn visits were this simple I would be on track every year. Friends, what would have taken me half a day of missed work, time, energy AND a co-pay, cost me nothing. I purchased myself a sweet decongestant and called it a night. All my mom friends with those basic, "no time for the doctor" problems, go to Minute Clinic. Its a mom's dream come true.
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