A Trip to the Dermatologist

Well, it's been a long summer. Finished four operations at the VA and when I left after my last I've had this raging rash all over my body. So the VA in Salt Lake says, "no my problem" and I'm coming home to MT with the news that Salt Lake VA will set up an appointment with the Dermatologist for me. They do. And a week before the appointment when I get my confirmation card in the mail I find out its in Salt Lake and not MT.

MT VA is wonderful so they make me a quick appointment locally so I can get in quick and not drive the four hours to their Dermatologist in Great Falls. I go in late last week only to see a Physicians Assistant who quite frankly was pretty unimpressive. She talked in circles and after my wife said, "Are you going to take a biopsy?" She agreed.

Now I'll take you back to 1969 after my return from two years in the Nam and I had jungle rot all over, still do in some places by the way, and went to a civilian Dermatologist and he looked it over, puzzled, and took a biopsy. And I was called and told I had 'dermatitis' and I was impressed until I went to the dictionary and checked it out - skin disease. That would be like going to the Doctor with a crooked arm and having him take an X-ray and saying he'll call you with the results and voila, it's broken!

So I get the call yesterday from, not the Physicians Assistant, she must be far too busy, I got a call from someone in the office and damned if I dont have dermatitis. She says, "Just continue the treatment". I of course said, "And the treatment is ... ? Because all they gave me was a prescription for some cream that lasted three days. She had to check what the PA said the treatment was and came back with the news it was indeed the cream. I told her I was out and she said they had made it for one refill. I called the pharmacy and that refill isnt good until December 10th.

My daughter has a problem with a different kind of rash on her arm. She lives in UT and went to her provider there who referred her to the Dermatologist of course. She went and they did the biopsy and called her said it was back but it was wrong. What do you mean wrong? Never got a straight answer other than ... drum roll please ... its dermatitis. Apparently that's code for 'I dont have a friggin clue'.