[dekhn]

this describes many ER visits I've had, ones with my kids and ones I had myself. ERs are the worst possible places to go for medical care, except for near-immediate death. Over time, especially in the US, more and more people use the ER as first-line care (especially on the weekend).

Last week, my son had COVID (tested positive) but mild symptoms. At some point he says "I have a blue tongue, I don't remember having that before". Doctor and wife want to rush him to the ER and I say no. My daughter and I debugged it a day later (he had just taken a blue gummy pill, and somehow didn't think to mention that). What would have happened if we went to the ER? Shrugs from the doctor after sitting around the ER at midnight-5AM ("yeah I guess it's not cyanosis and it's gone now"), my wife and I have increased exposure to COVID in the ER, and a $3K bill for looking at a tongue.