Hello Doc - Can I Get A Prescription Too?

I dont know why I get so surprised. It seems as if every time we go to the doctors for what we think is a simple cold it turns complicated.

Jake had not been feeling well and had a cough and sore throat. After a few days it wasn't getting any better, his blood sugars were rising, and he looked terrible, so we made an appointment.

The physicians assistant saw him and I thought we would be in and out in 15 minutes, you know check his throat, ears, nose, chest...write a prescription and merrily away we go.

Not so. I was impressed with how thorough she was. She tapped, prodded and poked and then sat back with a sigh.

"So does he need antibiotics?" I said.

"Oh most definately, I think he possibly has strep and..."

"Really? Did the culture come back positive?"

"No, it came back negative, but 1 out of 10 of these quick strep tests come back as a false negative so I want to do some lab work. While we're at it I want to test him for mono too."

"Mono? There's a chance he has mono?" (visions of him lying in bed for six weeks make me sit up straighter in my chair).

"Well he could have mono, which we will find out once the test results come back along with the strep, but I do think he may have walking pneumonia."

"What? What? What? Pneumonia? Are you kidding me? I knew he was sick but I didn't realize he was that sick! Does he need to be hospitalized?" (omg! I have to call my husband, pack a bag, call the Ronald McDonald house, grab Jake's pillow....)

".....so the antiobiotics should take care of it."

"I'm sorry could you repeat that please?"

"I said the antibiotics should take care of it, and the strep too if that comes back positive. It hasn't developed into a full blown pneumonia yet so have him rest for a few days and if he gets worse bring him back right away. In the meantime I don't think he has mono but we have to be on the safe side. Any questions?"

(yes, do you have any happy pills that will get rid of those four grey hairs that just popped out?)

We just got the test back today, no mono but the strep did come back positive. He finished his antibiotics but I'm still watching his cough. He's back at school and doing much better. What I thought would be simple, turned complicated, but eventually was pretty simple after all.

I wonder if anyone has a never-ending supply of hair color available?