Immune System, Where Did You Go?

My body seems to be falling apart on me and I have no clue why, the only thing I can think of is because I work from home.  When I used to be a nanny I had an amazing immune system and I would rarely get sick, even though the children I would watch were constantly sick. 

It all started last week when I felt like I may have developed a kidney infection.  I have had issues before in the past, but nothing ever like a kidney infection.  The Doctor I had talked to earlier that week had mentioned that it may be possible, so I started to do more research online and found out that all my symptoms matched and that a kidney infection is something that you do not mess around with.  My boyfriend’s mom is a nurse, my best friend’s mom is a nurse and I know a few more nurses as well, all thought it could be a kidney infection.  Normally when I have a problem with my body, since I am uninsured I let it go away on its own and usually that works out fine, but this time I knew I would have to give in and go in to the Doctor.

I called around, thinking I could just go to a clinic, but found out it would be better if I went to a gyno.  The only problem was all the gyno’s I called were only taking pregnant women…. Wtf?!  I finally found a gyno that would take me.  As I was talking to the receptionist, telling her my issue of a possibly kidney infection, she asked if I wanted to come in later this week… WHAT?  It’s a kidney infection – that should shout emergency.  I got an appointment for later that day and went in. 

They asked me to fill out all the usual forms, fine.  I had to pay the regular insurance price of the visit (just for the Dr. to walk in the room, not for the exam or tests) which was $175, no sliding scale, no discount for cash, nada.  It really sucks to not have insurance.  I had insurance all the way up until the last two years and no major problems at all… just this last year I started to have some issues.  The nurse calls me up for a urine sample… really, it hurts bad to pee?!  As soon as I give the sample they call me back.  They weigh me, yay, I dropped a few pounds.  I go back into the exam room, the nurse can tell I am worried, but she is super sweet and tries to comfort me. She has me undress the bottom half and put a sheet on while I wait for the Dr. to come in.  Normally I hate going to a male gyno, but at this point I don’t really care, I just want to be fixed.

He checks me out, questions that I possibly may have been misdiagnosed in the past and they send off my urine sample.  They set me up with another appointment for Friday – great, more out of pocket money… Whatever will fix me, right?!  Although, I was shocked the appointment was for the end of the week when I was in such pain, and no pain meds…