Military Medicine or Why Free Aint All Its Cracked Up to Be

I have a horrible cough and chest congestion. Not a cold mind you, I don't a have a runny nose or nasal congestion, I have a really really bad cough. A cough that has kept me awake for two nights straight. I finally broke down and called the base hospital to get an appointment. For the record, I don't call the hospital for every little sniffle and sneeze. I hate going to the doctor. I would rather suffer through a cold than go to the doctor. They aren't going to tell me anything new there if I go for a cold. Sleep, drink clear fluids, take some over the counter stuff, run a humidifier. Yeah I know all that. A couple of weeks ago, I did have a cold, which turned into an ear infection and I still didn't call the hospital. Why? I knew they would just throw antibiotics at me. It is what Military doctors do. Guess what? My ear infection went away on its own. No antibiotics needed.

So today when I called, I really needed to go. Instead of just making the appointment, the girl at the desk and I have this little conversation:

Her: What are your symptoms.
Me: Chest congestion and coughing. I coughed all night last night and didn't get any sleep.
Her: Well I will get the nurse to call you about your cold symptoms.
Me: I don't have a cold. I have severe chest congestion and a really bad cough.
Her: I'll have the nurse call you. Can I get a contact number?
Me: My number is XXXXXXXXXXX
Her: Ok well the nurse will give you a call.

It has been almost an hour since that call was made and not a peep from the nurse. I am still coughing my head off. I have taken Mucinex DM which is pretty heavy duty stuff for a cough. Not touching it. Now, I am all for having free health care, but really when I call for an appointment. I want an appointment. I don't want a nurse to call me. I don't want her to give me "advise". I want to see a doctor. Someone with a medical license. I want someone to physically look at my charts and say "Hey I see you have a history of pnemonia, lets get a chest x-ray just in case". Hell, I'll even take someone who just wants to throw antibiotics at me at this point.

This is what you deal with when you have free health care. You get triaged. Now, I could wait until 4pm and just go to the emergency room, skirting the "rules" but do I really want to sit in a waiting room for 3 hours this afternoon? Nope. I am trying to do things the "right" way, but I get triaged into the "Oh they just have a cold" department. Nice, real nice.

Well I will just sit here and wait for my nurse to call me and tell me that it is all in my mind. Cause I just have a cold. Yeah a cold with no runny nose. Asshats.

Edit- It has been well over 2 hours so I called back to the hospital. They basically told me the nurse was busy and she would get to it when she could. Nice.

Edit #2- Still no call back 4 hours later. I am debating the ER on base after I pick up LaLa from school. Really don't want to sit in the ER with 2 kids though. Hubby is working night shift so he can't watch them. Joy, Oh Joy!

Edit #3- Well that was a complete waste of time. Talked to the "nurse" who told me to drink plenty of water and take Mucinex. Screw this I am gonna find a way to go to the ER after I pick up LaLa from school. I can't stand this any longer. My chest feels like it is on fire.