I had no idea what a walk in clinic was. Apparently it’s a doctor for people who don’t have a doctor. Or rather, who don’t have an existing relationship with a doctor. Further internet research turned up 3 in my area. One closed, one had stopped taking patients for the day. It seemed the Victoria Drive clinic was for me. Alas, as a foreigner without medical insurance, to see a doctor costs $100. A sexual health clinic on Monday would be free. I’m going to Vancouver Island tomorrow. I didn’t want to lose any time in diagnosing my new-found symptoms so a $100 doctor visit it was.

It’s amazing how inaccessible a medical system can seem as a foreigner. Medical professionals use terms that are probably commonplace to locals, but meant nothing to me. I was unsure what the clinic was called, what to search for, and how to know when I’d found the “official” web site. The idea of not being treated because a quota had been met sounded deeply unsettling when my own health was at stake.

After a bit of paperwork, payment and an hour or so of waiting I saw Dr Imperial. He was quite interested in my Kindle. We started on the right note. He mentioned that he used to work at a specialist STD clinic. I felt reassured. I asked about a herpes type specific blood test. He said I’d get a free test at the Vancouver STD Clinic. I’ll look into that later in the week. In the meantime, he demonstrated a firm knowledge of my immediate symptoms. It was not herpes, not genital warts and not syphilis. Good news. It was most likely a topical or fungal infection. He prescribed cream and it should clear up in a week.

I figure it’ll clear up in a week with the cream or 7 days without. I’ll hold onto the prescription note for a few days. If it doesn’t clear up of its own accord, I’ll fill the prescription next week.

I felt quite unsettled to discover white lesion looking things in the shower this afternoon. So much so I completely forgot I had rice and apples cooking on the stove. Ken turned the pot off before anything disastrous happened. I was quite preoccupied.

Now, four or five hours later, I feel quite settled that it’s a small matter, and will clear up soon. $100 seems like a small price to pay for peace of mind.

As I ponder the wonders of health and wellbeing, here’s a reminder of nature’s stunning beauty.