This week, I had a couple things happen.
Monday, I thought I had a sinus infection. Went to the doctor, got a shot and a couple prescriptions for antibiotics and pain drugs. Total time involved w/doc: about 15 minutes. Charge to me: $85.00 office visit and about $150.00 for drugs.
Thursday, I took my truck for my mechanic to perform a 100,000 mile service. This was an extensive amount of work on my particular vehicle as you must remove the fuel injection to get to the plugs. He changed plugs and boots (tune up), flushed out the fuel injection system while he had it off for the tuneup, changed the transmission fluid/filter, added a quart of transmission fluid additive/boost (can't remove all the old fluid in my tranny), changed all air and fuel filters, changed belts, hoses, flushed radiator, installed premium plugs and radiator fluid. Greased everything that needed greasing. Charge to me: $576.00 - I gave him $580.00 cash and he gave me back 20 bucks as a discount for cash.
Friday, I go to the dentist because my face is swelling and I'm not getting any better. After an radiograph/X-ray, he sends me to an oral surgeon. After a full face x-ray, the oral surgeon talks to me about what he wants to do (even after the talk, I realize now I had no idea what he was really gonna do), he has his assistant set things up and I get called back. She attaches the nitrous oxide/oxygen mix and gives me a minute or two to breath some of it up, then comes back to check me out. She lets Oral Surgeon know I'm ready. He comes in, gives me two quick shots of numbing agent, then gets down to business. He takes a scalpel, slices open my gum above the tooth while she sucks out the pus and blood. This hurts like all H$%^&*^). He apologizes for the pain, explaining sometimes with abscesses the numbing agents don't work as he's wrapping up and he's done and gone. She brings me out from underneath the nitrous, gives me some instructions and a second or two later, I'm out the door. Total time involved with any of the doctor's staff - 10 minutes. Total time with doc - 7 minutes, including the two minutes he's injecting and cutting. I was thankful he was done so quickly. Charges to me: $625.00. Filling the prescriptions he gave me cost another $60.00.
On the plus side, my pain is significantly reduced, I've got some new and hopefully more appropriate antibiotics, my swelling is draining out. I ate some lunch okay and I'm generally feeling like I'm on the mend. He gave me some pain meds, but right now, I don't feel like I need it. Some time will pass and I'll know for sure.
After all of these "surprise" bills, I may have to reconsider use of plywood in my build. This little dab of nothing ate up $1480.00 like it was nothing. Dad nab.
Thank God it's Friday. Maybe the weekend will be better.
