We Needed Care and AFC Urgent Care Was There

As a mother of three young children, I’ve experienced my fair share of sickness, bumps, bruises, and beyond. I’m all about preventive care, so that’s why my pediatrician is on speed dial. But one thing I’ve learned from being a mama is that you always need a backup plan.

Enter FCMB sponsor, AFC Urgent Care, located at 1918 Blackrock Turnpike in Fairfield. Every mom needs a professional, reliable, and caring place to turn to in an emergency.

A few weeks ago, after returning from a family vacation in Nantucket, I realized that a small cut on my son’s foot had turned yellow and crusty. There was also a weird little green speck on his toe (my first thought was Play-Doh), but my gut told me it was a serious infection.

I went into full panic mode and called our pediatrician ASAP. But of course, it was a late Friday afternoon, our doctor had left early, and the nurse practitioner couldn’t see us for another four hours! What’s a mom to do? It wasn’t a huge emergency that I could walk into the ER, but I also couldn’t wait a moment longer to see a doctor!

So, like most moms in a bind, I called my mom asking for advice, and she suggested an urgent care facility. My first thought was that they were just for adults, but with a quick Google search, I found AFC Urgent Care was just around the corner, and they are open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with board-certified physicians who are qualified to care for patients of all ages, from small infants over three months to senior citizens. I was in luck!

When I first walked into the facility, I was greeted by their super-friendly staff at the front desk. I immediately felt at ease and was assured that my son would be in great care. As I sat down to fill out the paperwork, a staff member came out to the waiting room equipped with paper doctor hats and AFC Urgent Care coloring books to keep my kiddos entertained. AND they put a kids’ show on their giant-sized TV. I was shocked that I could actually focus on a task without being interrupted!

Next, we were called to meet with a nurse to go over my son’s vitals as well as his medical history. My son’s nerves were put at ease since every tool and procedure was explained. We were then brought into a kid-friendly room set up with pics of superheroes and Frozen characters.

The wait was super quick, and the doctor calmed my son with jokes and distracted him with his special “ice cream spray” (aka numbing cream). He was able to assess and diagnose a serious foot infection quickly. Medication was prescribed and carefully explained, helping this anxious mama relax. I had such a great experience, and I knew that other local moms NEEDED to know about this valuable community resource.

In addition to providing health care services, AFC Urgent Care in Fairfield takes pride in designing and implementing educational, wellness, and community programs for schools, community clubs, and organizations.