When Chhori was around 6 months old, I saw a dark line underneath her left ring finger. She had just started to crawl so I thought she had managed to hit her finger somewhere and it caused a blood clot under her nail. I just checked if she was OK and let it be.
When I cut the nail the next time I noticed that the new nail still had the line so I got a bit worried. I googled it and there were many posts from birth marks to cancer. So we visited our GP to make sure it was nothing to worry about. He checked her and referred her to a specialist to check it further just to be safe.
It took us almost 2 months to get an appointment and so we finally went for a visit on last Friday. We both took a day off work for the visit.
About 3 hours before the appointment time, I got a text letting me know that the doctor is running an hour late so we adjusted our day accordingly. When we arrived there, we had to wait around 5-10 minutes before it was our turn. In that time, we filled out the paper work and made sure Chhori didn’t break anything while she was busy exploring the place. She has become so active recently that she needs a full time minder when we are out and about. I was scared she might hurt herself or break something.
Anyway, when it was out turn the doctor came in and introduced herself. She checked Chhori’s nail and said that it was just a mole and there was nothing to worry about which was quite a relief. She took a photo of her finger in her phone, also under a microscope and asked us to come back next year so she can examine Chhori again for any changes.
I was confused for a while because she was literally done in less than 2 minutes and it was all over so quickly. I can understand that she was busy and all that but we paid $235 for the consultation and it was done in 2 minutes.
I am super happy that Chhori is OK and we don’t have to worry about it but at the same time I don’t understand how a dermatologist can get away with charging $235 for a 2 minutes consultation. I guess I am in the wrong profession.
Does anyone out there have a similar experience? Do you think the doctors are getting more money than the service may be worth?
Take care,
M from nepaliaustralian
XOXO
P.S: Do not forget to nominate your favourite blog. NEPALIAUSTRALIAN’s Blog Award 2015
nepaliaustralian 