A Pain in the Neck

I've suffered with an on-again/off-again sore throat for the past two weeks, but during the last few days, the pain seemed to concentrate itself into one side of my throat, the right side, almost directly behind where my former wisdom teeth once were. I called my doctor to make an appointment. "The next available slot is Tuesday." Tuesday? To check on a sore throat that lasted much longer than normal? "Well, you can call tomorrow morning around 9AM to see if we can get you in same day." I told her thank you, that I would call tomorrow.

As the day continued, the pain grew in intensity, swallowing felt like a sharp rock being lodged in my cheek and throat, my voice fading in and out, and my tongue feeling swollen. When I arrived home last night, CM could tell I was in pain. I told him what the doctor's office said, and he suggested an Urgent Care. "Your health plan has a directory, right? Maybe there's an urgent care nearby." I spent about 20 minutes online trying to understand how Bakersfield, Rohnert Park and Sacramento were zero miles from my apartment whereas Signal Hill was at least two miles. So I threw caution to the wind, grimaced as I swallowed some water, and decided to try the clinic in Signal Hill.

In the waiting room, I completed my "new patient" paperwork, handed over the $50 co-pay and managed to read two pages of my book when the nurse called me back. In front of a waiting room filled with crying babies and older folks who had been seated much longer than me. The nurse weighed me, took my temperature and blood pressure, asked a few questions about my problem, sat me in a room and disappeared. I opened my book to read a few pages, remembering past experiences with waiting for a doctor, and managed a few lines before she returned with a long cotton swab. "Open wide and say 'aaah' really loud." My mouth opened, and she jabbed the swab into the right side of my throat before one "aaah" was uttered. I have a terrible gag reflex so just imagine me coughing choking trying not to throw up on her while she keeps saying "Wider...wider...."

The Physician's Assistant walked in perusing her clipboard filled with my information and asked a few more questions as she felt my throat and shined her thin flashlight into my mouth and ears. "You seem a little swollen. What does it feel like when you swallow." I described the lodged, pointy rock. "Hmm.... You don't have strep or a fever, which is good. It feels like one of you lymph nodes is a bit swollen." She scribbled onto a note pad. "This is a prescription for amoxicillin. We're going to work on the infection in the lymph. The antibiotic should bring the swelling down." She flashed the light into my mouth again. "if you haven't noticed a change within 10 days, you need to follow up with your personal doctor they can run more extensive tests. Okay?" I swallowed, grimaced, nodded. "Good. You're all set, Mr. C-. You have a good night." And she ushered me through the small hall to the door.

The waiting room was now empty, save for CM who rose from his seat by the door as I walked out. I showed him the prescription. "I think there's a CVS just up the street. Let's head over there, and then are you up for some dinner?" I swallowed, grimaced, nodded.