A Trip to the Doctor

Ahhh – the teacher’s first cold of the new school year.  I always hope to stave it off as long as possible, but it does usually hit before the end of October.  I was quite surprised when I headed to bed one night before the 15^th feeling incredibly achy in my joints.  It went on for 2 days.  Could I be getting an early flu already, I thought.  Within two days it was clearly a chest cold.

What a situation!  The constant presence of air conditioners means breathing that sort of air, while being outside means breathing that polluted air (8.6 million people here and well over half of them have a motorbike).  To NOT have the air conditioner on, well, that’s like living in a sauna.  Do I really buy 3 fans?

I drank lots of water.  I put the all-purpose Tiger Balm on my chest (staining my precious nightgown – precious because wearing the same pajamas every night for 3 months makes a new nightgown very precious).  I slept with my chest and head elevated.  I refrained from working out, getting as much rest as I could.  I went to bed early.

After 10 days, I went to the doctor.  I went online to request an appointment.  I could probably call, but it is so easy to just fill it out, send it in (with a specific time request, in my case, Saturday morning).  Within 24 hours I had a confirmation of an appointment.  There is a “western style” hospital/doctor “less-than-100,000-dong” taxi ride away.  It is a multi-building, multi-level place.  I went a few weeks ago to see a dermatologist (monitoring the spots that seem to suddenly appear, and always seem to end up being “age spots”).  I had my patient card, so was able to proceed to the 

Pulmonary section on the 3^rd floor.  No matter what you are there for, once you are checked in, a nurse weighs you and checks your height (I grew 3 cms at the dermatologist office, but only 1 cm at the Pulmonologists office).  She also takes my temperature and blood pressure.  Everything normal.  I saw the doctor, who spoke broken English, but he listened to my chest (which is what I wanted) and sent me to get a chest x-ray (which I wanted if he felt it was needed).

Off to another part of the hospital.  Check-in (they knew I was coming).  Sit down.  Get out book.  My name is called.  Stand up.  Technician looks at me.  Looks at my chart.  Bursts out laughing.  “You are not Korean.”  I will provide people with plenty of laughter with my last name and my looks in this country.  

I was sent to the nicest hospital changing room I ever experienced.  It had lockers with keys for my clothes.  The gown I had to put on was easy to figure out, just slip it on over my head.  No need for embarrassment about whether the opening goes in the front or the back.  X-ray done, I headed back to the doctor.  

The waiting area had filled up considerably, but I didn’t get 2 pages read before I was called back.  Sometimes I wonder if being a foreigner means you automatically get to go first.  Prognosis: Acute bronchitis.  He said the weather would exacerbate it here.  Weather?  I remember the weather of northern Europe giving me problems with bronchial issues – but this heat and humidity?

I waited over an hour for the prescription to be printed.  The receptionist came twice to apologize for the delay – problems with the computer.  Eventually I was called to the cashier’s desk, given my prescription, x-ray, receipts and told that insurance covered everything.  I was told to go to the ground floor to get my prescription.

There, I had to take a number.  I couldn’t take the priority number, I had to take the regular number.  It was a wait of 15 numbers, PLUS the priority ones (so much for that foreigner theory).  I got to the desk, gave my paperwork over, he produced a basket with all my medicines and proceeded to tell me what to do with each.  Antibiotics for the infection, anti-inflammatory for the inflammation, and cough syrup – don’t drive after you take the cough syrup.  Insurance covered everything.

I walked away with a big envelope of papers, a bag of medicine, and didn’t have to pay anything.  I looked at the receipt and discovered the antibiotics cost more than the chest x-ray (imported drugs). 

Here I am, one week later, certainly not as sick as I was then, but still with that tickle in the chest that makes one cough.  I was able to convince the landlord to get the air conditioners serviced, so now I’ve got a bit cleaner air to breath at home.  I wore one of those respiratory masks while I waited for the bus this week.  I think I just have to see what adjustments my body makes.

But hey, what about that insurance coverage?  I can’t tell you how much it costs me per month, because it doesn’t seem to be deducted from my pay.  It must be some good coverage though.  I have a colleague whose husband spent 30 days in ICU last month.  It didn’t cost a thing.

(Sorry no photos - but I hope you can imagine the motorbike parking lot at the hospital)