Lost things 2

'Oh no, not another brooch',  I hear followers of my blog (all three of you!) say. Nup. This is how it was today. I have psoriasis on my scalp - itchy and flaky but mostly unseen. In later years it has extended into my ears. Now I know I was taught not to put anything in your ear other than your elbow (very funny) but my specialist suggested ointment on a cotton bud should be gently inserted into the ear to alleviate the situation.
Routine task. Out of the shower, towel dry,  comb hair, cotton bud into ear and remove. Oops! No bud on the end. Just a stick. Ouch! And I only really noticed it after doing both ears. But rather thought it happened after the right ear.
What to do? Dig around with a crochet hook, pointy tweezers? Just wait? Well the latter seemed reasonable except that we are due to head off on holidays and who wants to end up in some strange town looking for a doctor because your ear is festering around some foreign body.
I jigged up and down a bit, poked around a bit (yep, I confess to the crochet hook and the tweezers) and then rang the clinic. What chance of an appointment  on a Friday during cold and flu season. And no chance at all of seeing my own lovely doctor. Oh well, give it a go.
First of all the on call doctor for the day was my very own doctor and secondly he had an appointment at 3.45. Yes, please. Then they gently explained that because it was an on call appointment ('emergency') there would be a charge of $70 some of which I'd get back from Medicare. Okey-dokey, Worth it for the peace of mind.
SOoo I rode by treddly to the clinic and had just sat down to read my book when I was called in. My doctor looked tired so  I asked how he was and we chatted about this and that. I told him my ridiculous story of the lost cotton bud and he duly inspected both ears thoroughly. Nothing in sight. Reassuring. He also took my blood pressure (good), asked if I needed prescriptions (no thanks) and checked whether we were all up to date with routine tests. A pleasant visit.
I headed to the desk with credit card in hand only to be told that I had been bulk billed. 'He can't do that,' I said as I really appreciated being able to be checked out. The reply was,'It's his pleasure.'
Lost things? Not at all. So much gained and to be grateful for. Although I do wonder where on earth that cotton bud is...