My face is sore.

Today my face is sore.

Last October I went to see my family doctor about my recurring sinus problem. I've had nasal congestion and post-nasal drip for several months (a few years, really). She advised me to irrigate my nasal passages frequently and to reduce allergens in my environment (like DUST). She gave me a prescription for antibiotics in case I needed it down the road, and she said if I didn't get better soon, she'd send me to an ENT. Good plan, I thought. I was very satisfied.

Several weeks later, I had sinus pain. I don't remember having sinus pain before. No problem, I thought, I would just take my antibiotics, and all would be well. And it was, for a little while, until the sinus pain came back a few weeks later. Nothing too serious, nothing life threatening, just a constant, moderate, aching sensation in my cheeks and forehead. It lasted a few days, and then I felt better.

Except it kept coming back.

So finally, in February, I decided to try and see my doctor again. When I phoned to make an appointment, I was informed that she had closed her practice. Great. Do you know how hard it is to get a doctor in Freddy? I had to wait a year and a half to get this one. And she was awesome. Apparently they were finding new family doctors for all of her patients, so I had to wait to be contacted by my new doctor.

So I waited.

In April, I found out my new doctor's name. Fantastic, I thought, now I can go see him and get my ENT referral. But no, I had to wait for a "meet and greet" appointment. No service until then.

So I waited. Meanwhile, my sinus cycle of pain kept on presenting itself. And really, at any time, I could have gone to the ER or to the After Hours clinic, but it seemed like such a long time to wait for such a minor concern. All I had to do was take some ibuprofen for a few days, and I would get through it.

In July, I got the call for my appointment. Woot! They scheduled me for August.

Three days before my appointment in August, they called to reschedule me because my doctor was going to be out of the office that day. Never mind that I had to jump through hoops and cancel patients so I could attend this appointment. Never mind that my new appointment was on a day I had scheduled as vacation. Who wants to go to the doctor on a vacation day????

Anyway, the day of my "meet-and-greet" appointment arrived. As I checked in, I discovered that my Medicare card had expired. In November 2007. Apparently they are supposed to send you a new one in the mail, but I don't remember getting one. The receptionist told me that I would be billed for this long-awaited appointment.

As the nurse was taking my history (in front of another nurse and patient, no less!), I was also informed that I was not to expect my doctor discuss any current health concerns. That would require another appointment.

Gah.

I tried not to be upset. After all, on that particular day, I wasn't really symptomatic. Did it really matter that I had had sinus pain for two weeks straight that ended just the week before? Apparently not, and I had a lovely, albeit brief, chat with my new doctor.

That was last week. Work has been utterly insane these past two weeks, and I didn't have a chance to straighten out my expired Medicare card issue until this past Friday. Meanwhile, I have gotten a bill in the mail for my "meet-and-greet" appointment.

It was $215.

I don't even know what the point of this story is. All I know is that my face is sore again, and even though I now have a doctor, I can't go see him again until I get this silly card business sorted out. Who knows what he charges for a real appointment.