Stitches . . . literally

In a few days I get my stitches out. So what some may say but it has become a growing irritant. Because of where I decided to slice myself open and give myself my first medical emergency in four years I had to have my left pointer finger immobile, which isn't so bad until I try to buckle into the car, put on a coat, pull up my pants, pick something up, and the list goes on. But, my biggest gripe is the cost of my little adventure. Being a young person with no health issues who hardly has need for a physician I do not have a primary care. I get annual check ups at the hospital health fairs but beyond that I am usually a no fuss kind of girl. So, when I decided to get into a fight with a pumpkin and cut my finger open my first thought was an urgent care but being the time of night and on a Sunday I had to go to out local emergency room. Which, for the most part wasn't too bad really. Waited an hour to be seen, spent maybe 15 minutes withe the doc and was on my way out the door. Here comes my irritant, as I am checking out the lady tells me I can go to my primary care for stitch removal or come back to the emergency room. . . but the emergency room will charge me for stitch removal. Excuse me I said, and she repeated herself. I am thinking to myself and have been since that evening: Come on, really, charge for stitch removal. If I had been ingenious enough to cut my hand several hours earlier I could have gone to an urgent care for three quarters the cost and gone back for free stitch removal. Not only will I now have a emergency room bill but I will have a physicians bill and probably a stitch removal bill. If I had a primary care to go to, I would also be charged the office visit that would be required for stitch removal sine I didn't cut my hand during regular office operating hours. As a kid my dad used to take our stitches out for us, for the cost of a hug, I think I will go see him.