When I finally got health insurance again, I'll admit, I was a little excited. And I had a lot of sick time saved up at work, so I decided to use it. I got a little appointment happy. I made appointments with doctors and dentists and took full advantage of my benefits. I've never been to a dermatologist in my life, and I haven't really needed one. I've been lucky to not have any skin conditions or acne. But since I was going crazy with the appointments, Why not? I checked with my insurance and found that this place was covered by my insurance. I called the office and inquired about making an appointment. They were able to fit me in about three weeks from the day I called, which was fine since I wasn't in any big hurry. They asked if I was a new patient, and when I told them that I was, they took my address and informed me that they would be sending me some paperwork to fill out before my appointment. I was instructed to bring the paperwork with me on the day of my appointment.
So why did I decide to see a dermatologist? Well, I spend a lot of time in the sun and I'm a redhead and I have freckles. I know I'm young, but I figured it might be a good idea to have a professional check for skin cancer, or early signs of it anyway, just in case. We natural redheads are at a much higher risk than anyone else, so I figured it might be a good idea. Plus at the time I had a few bumps on my arm that I didn't know what it was.
So my paperwork came in the mail and I filled it out and the day came where I had my appointment. Mid-Ohio Dermatology is just off Henderson Rd. west of 315, but it's easy enough to find. The building isn't shared with any other businesses that I noticed. When I went in I was surprised to find it kind of busy and cramped in there. Nurses, it seemed like, were running all over the place. I went to the front desk and gave them my paperwork. They took my insurance card and had me sign in. Then I had to sit in the waiting area. I really didn't have to wait too long. Only about 10 minutes or so, which was fast considering they seemed so busy.
I was led by a nice female nurse down a small hallway with examination rooms lining the hall. She led me into one and asked me about the reason for my visit. I told her and she seemed a little confused - like I didn't have a good reason to be there. As she was leaving, she told me to change into the gown that was sitting on a chair in the corner. *sigh* I hate those things.
I got undressed and sported the dreadful gown. I went ahead and sat on the examination table so my butt wasn't exposed, and after about 10 more minutes or so, the doctor came in, followed by the nurse that had assisted me earlier. I forgot to mention that I was seeing Dr. Londeree, who turned out to be a very sweet and pretty lady. She got right to the point - asking me about the reason for my visit. I told her I wanted a once-over for anything unusual and she proceeded to check me all over the place. She did it all very quickly, and said that everything seemed quite normal. She told me that if nothing was bleeding or looked unusual, I should be fine. She then gave me a pamphlet about skin cancer and told me that my skin tone was naturally a little darker, so I probably wasn't at the highest risk. Then she told me that it was great that I was getting it checked out just in case since early detection is key. She applauded my attention to my health. So that made me feel a little better about my visit.
As for the bumps on my arm, she took one quick look and diagnosed them as dry skin. I told her that they itched and I didn't know where they came from and they were only on one spot on my arm, but she stuck to her diagnosis. She gave me a sheet about caring for dry skin and told me to use lotion daily. Simple enough. Then she said goodbye, she and her nurse left, and I could get dressed and go. It was so quick! But it seemed like Dr. Londeree was very rushed. When I asked her questions, she listened and answered, but it was also like she was in a hurry to be somewhere else. She wasn't even in the room for 5 minutes. I sort of wished I had some time to ask a few more questions, but I felt like I would have been keeping her or something. And it also seemed like she just wanted me to read the material she gave me instead of seeking answers from her.
So that was it for my visit. I went home and went crazy with the lotion on my arms, and sure enough the bumps went away several days later. And it was also nice to get some peace of mind about the health of my skin. So I'm glad that I went, but I also wonder how thorough her examination was. I feel like she could have easily missed something, but then again, she obviously knows what she's doing. It just all happened so quickly and I didn't feel like I got a good chance to speak with her like I wanted. Yet she was very nice and helpful. I would recommend this place to anyone needing a dermatologist, but hopefully I don't have to go back to one again! read more