Every
day a thousand airline flight crew spend the night in a Los Angeles hotel.
Sometimes they get sick and call their supervisor. If they’re American, he
tells them to take their American medical insurance and find a clinic. If
they’re foreign, he tells them to stay put and wait for the doctor.
That
will probably be me. I average half a dozen of these visits per month. I enjoy
them because airline crew are young and healthy. Three-quarters suffer
respiratory infections and upset stomachs. Since a doctor must certify if
they’re fit to fly, I see plenty of ordinary colds.
A
minor drawback is two pages of forms to fill out in addition to my medical
record. A more serious problem is vomiting: the most common symptom. I hate
driving during the rush hour, but vomiters don’t like to wait, so I often find
myself creeping on the freeway.
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