I hate going to the doctor, and I really hate the particular office I go to near my work. First of all, when I signed up with them two years ago, I had to fill out form after form on my credit-worthiness (including, I believe, a credit check), so worried were they about whether they would get paid. Then, they have the stupidest rule regarding scheduling appointments: If you're sick, you need to make sure you call first thing or you won't get a chance to see anyone that day; and you can't schedule appointments in advance. (Or so I thought, it's not quite that severe. I flipped out about a year ago when I last had to make an appointment, and that's what I recalled encountering.) Finally, they have completely and totally sullen, unhelpful people who you have to deal with: Billing clerks paranoid that you're writing a bad check; receptionists who if you were to ask a question -- any question -- will invariably snap "I don't make the rules, sir." Me: We're having an awfully cold day, don't you think? Clerk: There's nothing I can do about that. The gloomy waiting room, decorated in "country", has church fliers and vaguely religious magazines lying around with titles like Hope Eternal. I start feeling ill just looking at this stuff! I vow to change doctors, but ... I'm almost never sick, and when I'm well, I guess my soapbox on medical care kinda goes away. So I sleep in the bed I make.

I made an appointment because I've been hacking and horking for about a week. And my doctor isn't a bad guy, personally. Today, he told me I have 110/70 blood pressure (does that reflect low blood pressure?), and a cholesterol count of 122 (isn't the "average" 200?). He gave me free samples of antihistamines and, upon my request, an antibiotic *with* a refill.

But, I also got irritated because I saw his eyes change when I asked for an STD test. I asked for everything *except* HIV. "I've never separated those before." I told him that unless the HIV test was anonymous, I didn't want my name on a list somewhere. "Oh, I think you're probably right." He started asking me a lot of questions which were not related to the ability to conduct any testing and were really none of his business. He changed his tune when I said, "Oh, maybe I don't need that test after all." Finally. I got some blood taken...

So I find out in a few days whether I have anything. (Except for HIV -- I'll have to find an anonymous test center for that.) I am fairly certain I don't -- but because I've been "exhibiting flu-like symptoms" and I do sometimes have itchy-scratchy *down there*, it's good to make sure. When Jock Itch Happens to Non-Jocks...

And later in the morning, the boys called to tell me they'll vacate the apartment by December 1st. *sigh* The ball is now rolling. Next I'll start calling moving companies and negotiating that piece of it...