A Comedy of Errors

source: Pinterest

It was that kind of day. 

Foodie had been moaning about a sore leg for a while now, specifically his calf, which felt oddly numb. Our family RN, Sara, hinted at the possibility of a blood clot - a scenario no mother wants to hear. That said, I held on to my own theory: maybe it was just a pulled muscle or a pesky pinched nerve. Thanks to two car accidents in his younger years, where he had back injuries, I just figured those old injuries tend to pop up at the most inconvenient moments. 

He's going camping with his brother for a week, leaving on Thursday or Friday. 

Determined not to overreact, he opted to avoid the ER; it wasn’t an emergency. Instead, he headed to a local urgent care facility one of his coworkers recommended. 

**1. First stop: Tribal Health Urgent Care.**

They quickly referred him to another urgent care down the road. 

**2. To his dismay, the second location sent him to a third location.** 

Finally, the doctor examined him, pinpointing the issue to his L4 and L5 vertebrae, which were inflamed and in need of an X-ray. Off he went to yet another urgent care facility, this time for a radiology appointment.

When we arrived at the fourth location, we were greeted by an unexpectedly empty building. Confused, he called the facility, frustration creeping in, only to be given yet another address. 

**5th location. They were closed for lunch.**

At this point, his patience was wearing thin. A quick call to express his annoyance yielded a profuse apology and directions to yet another urgent care—hopefully, the Sixth attempt would finally be the charm.

Once we reached the sixth place, it looked like they had just moved in—no regular sign in sight. He headed to the door, only to discover a handwritten sign instructing him to check in next door at Womb in Bloom, the seventh location. 

Sitting in the car, I couldn't help but chuckle. Oh boy, he’s really going to be surprised when he realizes where he’s ended up!

Curiosity got the better of me, and after a bit, I decided to go inside. There he was in the waiting room, surrounded by a sea of expectant mothers. We were still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that this Womb in Bloom and the urgent care clinic were somehow connected.

Womb in Bloom - a boutique ultrasound studio that specializes in providing non-diagnostic prenatal imaging- offers expectant parents high-quality 3D, 4D, and HD ultrasound services in a warm, welcoming environment. While not a medical facility and not intended to replace regular prenatal care, Womb in Bloom provides a unique opportunity for families to create lasting memories of their pregnancy journey.

Source: ar.inspiredpencil.com

Suddenly, a guy in scrubs bustled in, carrying a laundry basket piled high with freshly laundered towels. He called out to Foodie, and we found ourselves following him to our final destination, location # six - next door. At that moment, it felt like we had tumbled down a rabbit hole, Alice in Wonderland-style.

Finally, Foodie got his X-ray done, and now it was just a waiting game.

At 1:30, he offered to take me to Burger King—his coupon burning a hole in his wallet. 

Arriving, the scene was oddly quiet, with only the kitchen staff busy about. Naturally, we lined up; nobody wanted to mess with the kiosks. After an eternity of waiting, someone finally informed us there were no cashiers, and we had to use the kiosks instead. He just wanted to make sure his coupon was scanned properly. In the end, it all worked out, and he placed the order.

It's a new world, you know...

Just as we settled down with our food, I realized I needed to use the restroom. But surprise! The door was locked. I wandered back to the front, searching for someone to help, and eventually, someone gave me the code to unlock the bathroom door.

While we munched on our burgers, the ridiculousness of the morning hit us, and we erupted into laughter, reminiscing about our wild ride.

In conclusion...

Foodie has this way of complicating things for himself - classic penny-wise, pound-foolish behavior. He only pays for the bare minimum of medical insurance that the law requires, which means high deductibles and a heap of uncovered services. X-rays? Not included. MRIs are covered, but only after obtaining an X-ray first. So here he was, shelling out $80 out of pocket for that X-ray, which honestly wasn’t a bad price.

I understood his hesitation about not heading to the emergency room, but he often tries to outsmart the system, making things more complex and costly in the long run. All in all, it’s his journey to navigate, after all, and he really thinks his way is the better way. So be it. 

 In the end, all that mattered was the laughter we shared over lunch, surrounded by a waiting room full of pregnant women probably wondering what on earth he was doing there.

Now on to Tuesday...