I'm pretty sure Montana is a hot bed for strange germ mutations or something. The kids have all been on a sickness rotation since we moved here and it doesn't seem to be letting up. Some say it's the altitude, some say the wind, but I'm almost paranoid enough to believe in a government conspiracy theory.
In the four months we've been here we've had probably about four weeks of school missed between two kids. That's not good. Most of it is just cold symptoms. Some of it may be psychological, just a case of the kids getting used to a new environment, but last week was serious. Two ruptured eardrums in the same week! First our fourteen year old had a ruptured eardrum last Monday, then his four year old brother had a ruptured eardrum in the same ear on Friday. While at the ER, my wife was told that they have seen quite a few ruptured eardrums in the last couple of months. What is going on here? Is there some mutant strain of germs that is rampaging through Great Falls, MT? Our oldest is no stranger to ear infections as he got them somewhat often as a little one, and the doctor at the time said it was probably better to let it heal on it's own as he hadn't been exposed to antibiotics yet, and he never had a ruptured eardrum then. So what is happening here? Is it the fluctuating weather? The wind? The elevation? Whatever it is, it can leave us alone. We've had more than our fair share.
And my next question is why can't antibiotics be purchased over the counter? I would assume most of us are only going to buy them if we are familiar with the symptoms of an infection. Why are they treated on par with narcotics? Is there some nefarious way to misuse antibiotics that I am unaware of? Do weird people take them for the diarrhea rush they can potentially cause? Are they a popular recreational drug among the colitis crowd? I have a sinus infection right now. I haven't gone to the doctor because I know how my body reacts. It hurts. My sinuses fill, creating tremendous pressure. So I usually take something like ibuprofen for pain and swelling and something else to help my sinuses drain. It's effective somewhat long term, but I think it would probably be a bit easier if I could just throw some antibiotics at it, but I tend to avoid going to the doctor unless I have to. Most of my immediate family is prone to sinus infections. I've grown up dealing with this. Why do I need to pay a co-pay for insurance, plus my deductible, just so a doctor can confirm what I said when I went in and write me a prescription?
The healthcare system in the US is obviously not efficient. I don't need all my favorite drugs available over the counter, but I would like to avoid having to go to urgent care in order to get medication I know I need. Why isn't there a more immediate level of healthcare that we can have access to? The health care laws passed requiring all of us to buy health insurance is a joke. Perhaps some of our tax money could go instead to immediate care facilities that can confirm the more simple ailments and dispense medications for them. I don't want a free clinic necessarily, but why can't a nurse practitioner who works at the pharmacy swab someone's throat to test for strep or give me antibiotics for my sinus infection or dispense drops for my child's pink-eye? All of these are pretty minor ailments that if we could avoid an $85-$115 office visit would make life a little less complex. I'll quit whining now and get back to blowing my nose.
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