19 minutes

So I keep having this recurring back pain that just drives me into insanity (well, even MORE into insanity). Last week, figuring the pain was sciatica, I went to Occupational Medicine (one of my departments) for a quick check up. They thought I was coming to visit (as I often do), but then when I went to sign in as a patient, they flipped that switch and were suddenly all business (was rather funny and very endearing to me).

The very, very, very cool part was that I immediately got in to see a doc. He didn't make me get into one of the scary, back-less hospital gowns, but examined me in my pantsuit. My pressing on a few key points, he figured out that my pain is not sciatica (deep sigh of relief), but is actually a fist-sized knot that has wound itself into a fury where my spinal muscles meet my hip flexor. Seriously? It's, like, knots gone wild. Or better, Knots Landing.

I asked him for a prescription for a 3 hour massage. He was actually going to give me one before I quickly interjected that I was kidding. He was not. But he sent me on my way with three prescriptions (prednisone, pain killer, and muscle relaxer.......dude). I went and had them filled at our outpatient pharmacy. There was no one waiting, so our pharmacist filled them right then.

In a total of 19 minutes, I saw a doctor, got a diagnosis, filled my scripts, and made it back to my office. In today's medical world, that's a MIRACLE.

But my back pain is back. I wonder if my insurance will cover a hot tub and/or live-in massage therapist?