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When I lived in Iceland, I found a lump. I had no idea how to navigate finding a doctor, so I went to our show's production manager.
Me: I found a lump. Can you help me find a doctor?
PM: Just go to the cancer center.
Me: Okay. How do a get a referral?
PM: What's a referral?
Me: I found a lump. Can you help me find a doctor?
PM: Just go to the cancer center.
Me: Okay. How do a get a referral?
PM: What's a referral?
After I explain what a referral is, he looks baffled.
PM: Just go to the cancer center.
Me: But...referral?
He shrugs and hands me the phone number to the cancer center. I call and explain.
CC: A lump, ah yes. You should come in.
Me: Don't I need a referral?
CC: A what?
PM: Just go to the cancer center.
Me: But...referral?
He shrugs and hands me the phone number to the cancer center. I call and explain.
CC: A lump, ah yes. You should come in.
Me: Don't I need a referral?
CC: A what?
Having accepted that I don't need a referral, I say, "How do I make an appointment?"
CC: An appointment? Yes, we can do that if your schedule is very busy, otherwise just come in.
Me: I don't need an appointment?
CC: You found a lump! You know your body, yes? Come in.
CC: An appointment? Yes, we can do that if your schedule is very busy, otherwise just come in.
Me: I don't need an appointment?
CC: You found a lump! You know your body, yes? Come in.
So I go. The nurse checking me in apologizes because, since I'm not Icelandic, I'll have to pay for the visit.
It's 3 krónur.
That's 3 dollars at that point.
I pay and sit down to wait.
CC: Kowal?
Me: Already?
CC: You found a lump.
It's 3 krónur.
That's 3 dollars at that point.
I pay and sit down to wait.
CC: Kowal?
Me: Already?
CC: You found a lump.
She escorts me into an examining room and palpates the area.
CC: Yes, that does feel like a lump. Let's do a mammogram.
I prepare to hear about making an appointment for that.
CC: I'm sorry, but it's across the hall. Do you mind following me?
CC: Yes, that does feel like a lump. Let's do a mammogram.
I prepare to hear about making an appointment for that.
CC: I'm sorry, but it's across the hall. Do you mind following me?
I've been in the building for about twenty minutes at this point when I'm strapped into the mammogram -- WHICH HAD WARMERS -- and she does her thing.
CC: There is something there, you are right. I want to see it with an ultrasound.
And then she leads me next door.
CC: There is something there, you are right. I want to see it with an ultrasound.
And then she leads me next door.
She does the ultrasound and when we're finished, she tells me to get dressed and to meet her in the waiting room.
I head out to the changing room, put my top back on, and walk out to the waiting room. I sit down to wait.
CC: Kowal?
Me: Already?
CC: It is only cyst.
I head out to the changing room, put my top back on, and walk out to the waiting room. I sit down to wait.
CC: Kowal?
Me: Already?
CC: It is only cyst.
Forty-five minutes after walking into the Icelandic Cancer Center and 3 krónur poorer, I had the answer.
In the US, a similar lump took two weeks and three different office visits.
I think about this every time I have to fight with medical insurance in the US.
In the US, a similar lump took two weeks and three different office visits.
I think about this every time I have to fight with medical insurance in the US.
PS for clarity, I used my surname, but I'm pretty sure it was my first name the entire time, because Iceland.
PPS Why don't all mammograms have warmers?
PPS Why don't all mammograms have warmers?
PPPS I said 3 kronur, but it was actually 300 kronur. I got so used to throwing an imaginary decimal place in there to do conversions in my head that I botched it in the thread.
The bit about being it basically three bucks though, that was the point.
The bit about being it basically three bucks though, that was the point.
Also, you should read Kelly's story for contrast.
A note that I've muted this, because I have novels to write.
