Army Hospital. Otherwise known as Purgatory.

So . Yesterday I took Dillon (and Mac because she can't be left unsupervised all afternoon yet) down to DeWitt Hospital on Belvoir for a simple appointment with the doctor. All we needed was a referral to the dermatologist. We should have been in and out in 20 minutes.

(Imagine 20 minutes.)

(Now imagine 5 hours...)

Getting out of the car, Dillon said, "Oh! I just got dizzy!"

Didn't think much of it. That frequently happens when he rises to standing and I always just figured it was the altitude change from his adolescent growth spurt. He wasn't used to the thinner air up there yet.

But then he said, "And sometimes when that happens, my face and tongue get numb and tingley and my fingertips tingle."

"Uh, Son, don't you think this is something you should have mentioned before Now?"

"Nah, it happens all the time, it's ok." I'm no MD, but I'm sure a numb face and tingly tongue are NOT ok.

So we mentioned it to the doctor, half-expecting to get blown-off.

Instead, he sent us for an EKG and complete blood work-up.

But not before he looked right at me and said, "Sometimes we see these symptoms in people who smoke, use amphetamines, cocaine, (some other drugs I never heard of), herbal stimulants, Red Bull...

He was looking from Dillon, with his long hair, black concert T, leather bracelet, and Chuck Taylors and back to me, seemingly waiting for me to ask Dillon if he was a user. I am CERTAIN he is not, and said so to the doctor. There was a 3rd-year resident in there who smirked when I said that. (Shut up, BItch, you don't know him.) I'm no idiot. I KNOW that parents are always the last to know and the parent saying, "I would know if my kid were on drugs" is always the parent whose kid is getting stoned behind the cafeteria at lunch.

But I would know. He is not using. Anyway, the blood tests will prove that.

After all the labs, we still had to go to the pharmacy for some meds. Our number: C682. Now serving: C640. Estimated wait time: 1 hour, 21 minutes. Number of chairs empty: none.

Finally got a seat and Dillon took a nap, Mac finished her book and started tearing recipes out of a Ladies Home Journal (that's my girl!), and I read while trying to ignore the screaming kid with the oblivious mom directly behind me.

Who says that military dependents don't pay for their medical care?