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I went to the doctor to obtain some medicine for my thyroid last week and as most of my experiences with the doctors in Taiwan, it has now become an ordeal. I needed to come back this week for furthur testing so I told my school I'd probably be a little late again, since the only endocronologist who speaks any English only works from 3-9 on a Wednesday (conveniently for me, that's the only day of the week I have to be at work by 3:10). Now, last week I was only 3 minutes late, which meant I had to walk into class with no prep, but I did it and it worked out fine. Sadly, this week didn't go as smoothly.
I showed up and was handed a number. The clinics in hospitals work a little like a deli. You take a number and wait to be served. The number over the door changes and then someone comes out and shouts your name. There are usually two to three other patients in the room at the same time and the nurses, usually about three, are printing out prescriptions and whatnot. It's slightly controlled chaos. So as I grab a chair outside of room 13, my shoulders slump when I realize the number over the door says the 7...oh wait, now it's 8, and my card says 109. "This is going to take longer than last time," I think. Meanwhile, the translator is nowhere in sight and I'm getting a little worried. Turns out the number means pretty much nothing as around number 11 I was escorted into the room to have my blood pressure taken. Phew.
Last time they told me my blood pressure was high, but I had to say I wasn't surprised since there were 15 people in the room the size of a small office. There was a noisy printer in the room, people talking, one nurse was taking my blood pressure, the other was taking my pulse, my translator was hovering over my shoulder, the doctor was typing, and three other patients were staring at the freaky-looking weiguoren in the doctor's office. Yesterday, with only 5 other people in the room, it was back to normal.
Anyway, long story made only slightly shorter, after the ultrasound, the bloodwork, and the confusing explanation of what was wrong with me, I missed my first class completely. Oops. On the other hand, I'll find out whether or not I have thyroid cancer next week. It's a standard test, I've had it before, but certainly not news one wants to wait a week to hear.
I showed up and was handed a number. The clinics in hospitals work a little like a deli. You take a number and wait to be served. The number over the door changes and then someone comes out and shouts your name. There are usually two to three other patients in the room at the same time and the nurses, usually about three, are printing out prescriptions and whatnot. It's slightly controlled chaos. So as I grab a chair outside of room 13, my shoulders slump when I realize the number over the door says the 7...oh wait, now it's 8, and my card says 109. "This is going to take longer than last time," I think. Meanwhile, the translator is nowhere in sight and I'm getting a little worried. Turns out the number means pretty much nothing as around number 11 I was escorted into the room to have my blood pressure taken. Phew.
Last time they told me my blood pressure was high, but I had to say I wasn't surprised since there were 15 people in the room the size of a small office. There was a noisy printer in the room, people talking, one nurse was taking my blood pressure, the other was taking my pulse, my translator was hovering over my shoulder, the doctor was typing, and three other patients were staring at the freaky-looking weiguoren in the doctor's office. Yesterday, with only 5 other people in the room, it was back to normal.
Anyway, long story made only slightly shorter, after the ultrasound, the bloodwork, and the confusing explanation of what was wrong with me, I missed my first class completely. Oops. On the other hand, I'll find out whether or not I have thyroid cancer next week. It's a standard test, I've had it before, but certainly not news one wants to wait a week to hear.
posted by CJ at 9:30 PM
2 Comments:
Heres hoping you dont, in fact, have cancer. That would suck.
Having to do things like visit doctors abroad really reminds you how great it is to live in the west. That and visiting toilets abroad.
-e
(eric) yeep! damn, that's scary stuff. luck!
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