In these parts of Minnesota, where water freezes faster than a teething baby cries, there’s only one speed which things move at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester: Fast.

Evergreen Park Diamondback pitcher Ed Sochacki checked into the clinic this morning at 7:30am for preliminary blood and urine analysis and found himself behind a line longer than at the premier of a Harry Potter movie. 20 minutes later though, Sochacki was taken to a room were the test were done and sent off for processing.

Said Sochacki, “I have never, ever seen anything like this in my life. You couldn’t run a cafeteria line faster than this.”

After his 7:30am check-in, it was a quick walk across the street to the Gonda Building for an electrocardiogram and then over to the Mayo Building for some X-rays. Total time passed for the two procedures was 30 minutes, including the walk. The coordinated effectiveness of the entire medical staff at Mayo was truly awe inspiring.

“It took 7 hours in bad weather to drive up here from Chicago,” said Sochacki. “I could get back in the car, drive home, and still be back sooner than what it would have taken to get all of these test completed in Chicago. I’m getting my results at 1:30pm and meeting with the doctor that runs the Executive Health Program.”

Least anyone get any ideas that Sochacki is receiving special treatment because of his status as a semi-professional athlete, they would be wrong. According to several staff members at Mayo, everyone receives the same, expedited treatment.

Sochacki’s afternoon includes a medical information review at 1:30pm followed by a full health examination at 2pm and finally concluding for the day with a cardiovascular stress test at 3:45pm. Two more full days of test follow, but as of now, Sochacki says he feels upbeat.

“I just want everyone to know how incredible of a place this is, and it’s something that hopefully, you never have to experience, but if you do, this is the place to be. I’m in good hands.”

Sochacki can be followed on Twitter under the user “edsohotski”

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