Sometimes, ya just gotta throw in the towel and see the doc. After transient chills, hot spells, night sweats last night and the pain in my ear spreading to my throat over the last hour on the bus, we opted to find a local doctor in Limerick.
We didn’t decide right away; we were walking down a street and saw a pharmacy with an attached surgery–a G.P.’s office for the Yanks. Feeling another crawly chill and feeling an ominous tickle in the back of my throat, we decided that I was finally due to visit the doctor. At 11:46, we walked into the pharmacy and inquired about an appointment to see the doctor. The pharmacist pointed down the street and said, “Go down the next lane over, and there’s a surgery at the end.” So, down at the end of thin, dark alley, we found the doctors’ shingle over a small, green door, nothing fancy. At 11:50, we walked in.
The waiting room was small, with a few people in the chairs. After only taking a moment to consider the situation, since we had no Irish health card, the friendly receptionist handed me a blank sheet of paper and told me to fill out my personal particulars. After turning the sheet back in, I took a seat and began this blog post. I hadn’t even completed the first sentence when the receptionist called me in right at noon.
“I’m glad to see a tourist, especially an American one,” Dr. Alicia Flynn smiled, shaking my hand. “It’s been a little thin here lately.”
She worked as we chatted, checking my vital signs as I related my symptoms. After cleaning out my ear with a water pick–ouch–, Dr. Flynn wrote out a prescription for antibiotics and a topical steroid, while incisively quizzing me about my benign lump on my neck. We paid a total of €50 (US$60) for my visit, and we left the surgery at 12:04.
We returned to the same pharmacy, “Got you sorted, did she?” asked the pharmacist as she took my Rx slip. A few minutes later, we walked out of the pharmacy with my €28 antibiotics…at 12:14.
So, from the time we walked into the pharmacy seeking a clinic to the time we left the same pharmacy with the meds, it was a total of 30 minutes, with just enough paperwork to put me in the system, a visit with a competent medical professional, and a filled prescription, all for less than US$100…and we as foreign nationals with incompatible health insurance. We were very impressed. If we lived here, I’d choose Dr. Flynn in Limerick to be my G.P. I felt that the care was exemplary and first-rate, and we feel that the US has a way to go before we catch up to this level of service at a fair price. Heck…my GP at home *still* hasn’t noticed the lump on my neck.
Comments
6 responses to ““Take four a day and have a lovely holiday…””
I’m glad to hear you got it sorted out and hope the antibiotics do the trick quickly. Don’t despair about leaving Dingle as I think you’ll find most of the west coast folks just as friendly.
If you’re feeling up to it remember that the ferry to Inisheer leaves from Doolin and you could go and return the same day with lots of time to walk around or even take a pony trap tour or whatever you call it.
Yhanks for the encouragement! We have no doubt that we’ll have a fine time…the wrench is that we were supposed to be in the hostel in Tralee on Sunday and now we’re going to Doolin at the start of the weekend. We were lucky to book a roonm at Daly’s tonight, but they’re full up tomorrow. we always make out OK though, so we’re not too worried.
Is the hostel in Doolin all booked up? Bummer. We stayed at The Atlantic View House at the west end of the main road in Doolin. It’s not cheap but a lovely place to stay and we’ve kept up with the owners, Eileen and Kevin, corresponding about once a year or so. Don & MaryLou stayed there last year and enjoyed the place. Hope you’re feelin better by now and getting to play your whistle.
Hugs & Kisses to you both!
We disn’t wind up at the hostel. We finally settled in at Twin Peaks b&b, also on the west end, on the lane behind o’Connors.
You’re gettin’ a little lax on your blogging duties. Are you feeling better?
Hope so!
New posts are up!
You’re right. I was not feeling very high energy, thanks to the ear. Getting better every day! Photos coming as well…