*GRUMBLE*

I've been have back pain for the last couple weeks. Last week it was focused on my right side. I pretty much felt bruised and uncomfortuable and took alot of advil. Yesterday, however, the pain slowly increased until by the time I got to work it was like someone stabbing knives in my back (right around the kidney area). It hurt to stand up straight. I was at work for an hour when I turned around to go to urgent care. I had to drive to the urgent care in Belleville, because that was the closest one that my health insurance accepts. They did the usual: blood pressure, temperature, pee in a cup. Good news: it's not a UTI or kidney infection. Bad news: he doesn't know what it is, but it could be kidney stones. So, he took an x-ray. Trying to figure out if my insurance would cover an x-ray of the back/stomach area at urgent care took about 20 minutes. They ended up taking the x-ray, which looked fine. He gave me a prescription for Tylenol 3 and told me to go and see my primary care physician. I don't really have a primary care physician yet. This year I switched over to Rob's insurance. With him working at the U, his insurance is better. They have a whole list of insurances to choose from. After research, we decided to go with HAP HMO (we went with the HMO because it was cheaper than the PPO.... let's face it, for what we make, the PPO was just downright not afforadable). My old doctor, who I'd been going to for around 10 years doesn't take HMOs. Fuck. Time to find a new doctor. I'm running low on some of my meds, so I pulled up the list of providers on HAP's website and picked one (my criteria: Ann Arbor area, female doctor, speaks English). Yesterday I called and made my appointment for March 27. At the time, my back was bothering me no worse than normal.

The problem with HMOs is that nothing can get done without a primary care physician. So, until next Monday, I have to eat advil like candy and enjoy my Tylenol 3 before bed (if I take it during the day, all I will do is sleep), and probably walk around like the Hunchback. What fun.