Internist VS "Doc In The Box"

So this weekend, after all the partying in the moonwalk and the crazy windy cool weather we had, I started coming down with a cold on Sunday. Started off with just the runny nose and congestion...no big deal. By Monday, I had a wretched cough and by Monday night, my chest was hurting pretty bad. Chest pains indicated to me that I had to go be seen by a doctor. Now, bear in mind that I have never had a "doctor" other than my OB/GYN because I previously worked for pediatricians, and anytime I was sick, they were kind enough to see me and treat my symptoms. So, with officially being out of the work force for the last year, I had to find a doc. I don't really care to go to a "Doc In The Box" type of clinic (you know, Walk In's taken, new patients no problem...etc.). I tried to go to an Internist, but when I call, they can never see a "new sick patient" until days from now....and excuse me, but when one is sick, they need to see a doc immediately rather than a few days or weeks later! So, since I was unable to get in with a regular doc, I had to go to the nearest American Family Care Clinic....aka DOC IN THE BOX. I dunno how they get that name because it makes it sound quick and easy and it is anything but! I was there for nearly 2 hours, and I had to get blood drawn, chest x-rays and the normal vitals taken. The doc comes in and he is so soft spoken, I can barely hear him. After the chest X-rays and blood work comes back, he informs me I have Mycoplasma. "Myco-what???" I didn't know what that was and had to ask, and his soft spokeness proceeded to tell me. All I could get out of what he said was, "bacteria", "cell wall not easily broken down", "traditional antibiotics won't work". (I later went home and looked it up on the Internet to figure out what I really had....which is basically bacterial pnuemonia....thank the Lord for the Internet!) He then shows me a prescription, and stapled to it is a coupon for $5 off of my antibiotic.....which immediately tells me that I'm about to pay out the rear for these meds! And, CVS pharmacy made $115 off of me yesterday! I JUST ABOUT HAD A STROKE! Then I had to wonder, since the doc gave me a coupon, was he really trying to "help" or did he get some kinda bonus points from the pharmaceutical company for giving that Rx to me. Would an Internist have given me the same thing??????? Well, I guess all in all it really doesn't matter. The medicine is working, and I am finally starting to feel better tonight. My chest isn't hurting, I still have the congestion, but the coughing is settling down a bit. I guess I should thank my lucky stars that the $115 of meds worked, and not the other way around....'cause after that, who can afford more medicine???

OK, I'll quit complaining now....

J