One of my favorite people in Germany

Today I paid a visit to one of my favorite Germans: our pediatrician.

Yesterday, Becca began running a fever and by noon today, it was climbing rather than cooling down. I thought I should take her to the doctor, but the timing was all off. The office was closed for lunch and by the time they reopened and I called to make an appointment and got there, I could be late picking up the older kids from school.

Keeping in mind that this was the fellow who gives out his home phone number and encourages his patients to call him anytime, I simply bundled Rebecca into the car and we arrived soon after the staff opened the office after lunch. I approached the receptionist and said (in German I might add), "Hello. My name is Nylund. We don't have an appointment, but my daughter is running a fever." Even with other people in the waiting room and milling around, we were put straight away into an exam room. The doctor saw us within 5 minutes, ran a test for strept throat (negative), printed out a prescription for ibuprofen (you can also get it over the counter) and sent us on our way. I stopped by the nearby Apotheke to pick up the prescription. I've written before about how efficient the pharmacies are here.

We were back in the car with our prescription within 20 minutes of entering the pediatrician's office with no appointment. I wish I could bring our doctor and the Apotheke home with us to the U.S.!