The stabbing pain in my back began as I stood up and headed to bed. The pain intensity continued to increase and radiated to my groin. It continued for most of the night, and the next day, at 5:00pm with the pain intensifying again, I made an appointment to see internist Dr. Martinez.
Dr. Martinez did his undergraduate studies in Michigan and attended medical school at the University of Cuenca. His wife manages his office and she proudly shared with Ken and I how passionate her husband is about medicine. Ken and I both agreed it shows.
After examining me Dr. Martinez surmised as did I, that I was dealing with a kidney stone. He gave me sublingual pain medication, that miraculously lessened my pain,wrote me a script for a CAT scan and a urine analysis and told me to go right to the hospital and bring him back the results as soon as the tests were completed. I couldn't believe my ears!
At St. Inez hospital, I was treated immediately. Within an hour, still in shock from the excellent, timely care I received, I headed back to the Dr's. office, test results in hand!
The tests confirmed I did indeed have a kidney stone. The good Dr. asked me if I had been drinking "agua con gas" (sparkling water loaded with minerals)and I fessed up I
had. This more than likely was the cause of my problem.
My stone is no more, praise the Lord, thanks to imbibing lots and lots of water and flushing the little thing out.
What were my total medical costs? Dr. Martinez's office visit cost $30.00. The CAT scan of my abdomen was $150, and my urine analysis $3.00. Total... $183.
The care I received was timely, high quality and for a very reasonable cost. A CAT scan in the US, depending upon where you live, averages from $1000 to $8000! Kind of makes you go hmmmmmm, doesn't it?!
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