I pack her and the 4 y/o into the car and drive to my nearest military MTF with an MRI machine (we are still covered by TRICARE military healthcare until November 10) and go to the emergency room. Mind you it's only a 55 mile drive.
I am talking to the ER doctor who says "well, I would really like to get an MRI to see what's going on but we don't have MRI coverage on the week-ends"
ME: I find it hard to beleive that you are an ER and you don't have emergency MRI capability
DOCTOR: well we do if it were a trauma or a stroke
ME: so, a herniated disc in the back doesn't count as an emergency?
DOCTOR: well, we don't know that it is herniated.
ME: but we can't find out if we don't do the MRI
DOCTOR: Well, it's really up to Neurosurgery and they won't accept a referral unless we have an MRI. So, I will put in a referral to your primary care doctor and see if she can get you scheduled for an MRI this upcoming week.
WTF? Actually I know what the fuck. The fuck is that because of the sequester and budget cuts and a refusal to raise revenues the military MTF's are forced to work the people in uniforms like dogs so the only guy they have to come in and do the MRI is probably a Airman who has already worked 50 hours this week and will be the guy they have to call in to do the MRI. Because they don't dare put any of the civilian staff on call because they are mandated NOT to incur overtime.
Technically, it's not an "emergency" but that idiot doctor knew damn well that she was forcing my wife to remain in pain from 2 to 4 weeks longer. Not to mention the fact that if it really is a herniated disc the longer they wait the more likely things like pain syndrome and nerve damage will occur.
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
And there really is no guarantee that surgery would be considered the best option. Often for herniated discs the best therapy is to get the inflammation down and do things like physical therapy.
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif)
The one bright side to it all is that I did get the prescriptions for valium and stronger pain meds (which was also one of my primary goals for this trip).
And that folks is why Brite has not been on the board for several days now. Fuckity, fuckity, fuck, fuckity fuck.
![mad :scream:](./images/smilies/screaming.gif)
That is all for now. carry on with your day.