To the doctors...

My son woke this morning with an alarmingly red ear which appeared to be to be weeping with some yellow / clear liquid.

At 9.00am we were waiting in the Doctors waiting room. Until last year, the majority of GP doctors worked on a waiting system. You arrived and waited your turn. Of course you are always guaranteed to see a doctor, but it just takes time !!. Last year new legislation decreed that all GP’s must have some consultations as ‘by appointment’ only. This hasn’t gone down very well with the doctors !!.

Most GP’s work on their own, our GP has two rooms in our local town, a small waiting room, about 10ft square with 10 chairs around the edge of the room and her consulting room which is slightly bigger. There are no receptionists or nurses, no automatic doors and no fancy décor.

At 10.40 am it’s our turn. I explain the problem. The doctor carries out a very thorough examination, we pay the 25 euros consultation fee and we leave with a perscription. He has a ear and eye infection and to clear up this horrible infection we have a bag full of medication. Twenty little tubes of what appears to be sterilised water, but when they get into contact with the infected area the water fizzes and becomes like expanding foam !!, eye cream, antiseptic spray and antibiotics.