Monday, January 16, 2006

Blood Test

Everything went smoothly today. Everything went a little too smoothly that I was a little suspicious. All the stories I want to file, I was able to have them written. Everyone I called seemed to be agreeable to talk to me. Someone whom I have been trying to reach for two days last week picked up my call. I could leave the office on time, without feeling that I have not accomplished anything. How strange. Maybe I am getting some cosmic sympathy for being bedridden for the past few days - four days to be exact.

It was last Wednesday. The four screens in front of me were making my head spin. Each time I asked a question on the phone, I had to take a deep breath to keep me awake. I held my pen tightly, afraid that if I losen my grip, I might actually pass out. Was BB+ investment grade? I couldn't remember. The noise in the office was fading and getting further away from me, isolating me and my work station from the rest of people. For a while I thought I was alone. My breathing was louder than usual. Maybe I was alone. But I could see them distinctly around me. I just couldn't hear them. My head was spinning, hurting my vision. When the words on my screens start to swim, I closed my eyes. Maybe some food would be good. I got up and used whatever energy I had left to get myself a plate of rice and a cup of hot tea from a food stall across my work place. I took two mouthfuls while sitting beside a trash bin by the roadside. Suddenly, it started to pour. There was a loud shuffling noise of people moving. My rice was then wet with rain. I was also wet. I gave up.

"I think you may have dengue." A young female doctor said.

"Huh? What?''

"Oh, I am not saying you have. But the symptoms are very smiliar. Your body is fighting a virus, leaving you weak. Your lymph nodes are swollen.''

"Ok. Are you going to give me some antibiotics then?''

"No. I don't know what kind of infection you have. You should get some vitamin C.''

"What? you are going to leave my body to fight the battle on its own.''

"yes. i have no choice. I don't how to prescribe when i don't know what you are down with."

"Ok, thanks.''

Thursday, I went back to work but I couldn't even sit in front of my screens for an hour. I got up and left.

"Can I do a blood test?"

"Why?'' a nurse at the hospital asked.

"I may have dengue. I am feeling feverish and giddy and extremely weak. I couldn't dialed a number on my phone. I can't asked a question properly.''

"huh?...err....I don't think you have dengue. are you pregnant?"

"No. I am not."

"you sure not.''

"yes. very sure.''

"Hmmm.....see the doctor first.''

(ooooiii you...)

An hour later,

"Is it possible that you are pregnant?'' a doctor asked, while drawing some blood from the fold of my arm.

"No."

"Ok, come back one hour later. your test will be ready.''

An hour later,

"your blood test result is very good. No infection of any sorts. You are healthy. Just very tired. I guess.''

"Why would I be exhausted when I didn't work on Tuesday.''

"I don't know. You're fine. The test results say so. Just go home and rest. you will feel better tommorrow.''

In the evening, I was still feeling really unwell. I decided to go back to the hospital. Afterall, it was only across the street.

"hi, sorry to keep your waiting.'' It was a different doctor. The doctor in the morning had left.

"I know my blood test says I am ok. But I can't be feeling this giddy and weak that I couldn't do anything. Something is wrong. It is not just because I am exhausted like what the doctor said earlier.''

"Do you think you could be pregnant?"

"No. It is not possible.''

"Can you take another test?''

Minutes later....

"I know what is wrong with you. It is an infection. I know how to treat you.''

"Oh really? yes!!!"

"I will give you some antibiotics. And I know you said it is impossible that you are pregnant. But I tested you for pregnancy.''

"Huh? what???'' I didn't know what to think. It was just very strange that she didn't trust me. Can a doctor test me like that without my permission.

"I know.I know. I am a gynae. I don't know what else I can do for you.''

(what? you think you are doing me a favour? you are so funny? why don't you just trust what I say without wasting a piece of plastic. You are only contributing to the fat profits of the polyethene makers. You better not charge me for the test. I don't know how to charge it to my company or explain to my company why I should be taking a pregnancy test. I am not a kid. why don't you just trust what I say. why would I want to lie to you?)

I stared at her in bewilderment. I blinked a few times.

She laughed and said, "I know. I know.''

(huh? you know what? you don't know. that's why you took the test. you are very funny lei.)

"I know. hahhaa..." She said.

Very funny mei?

"You said you are feeling giddy and weak, symptoms of a pregnancy.''

(while, the doctor yesterday said they were symptoms of a dengue fever. where did you guys get training from? why do you all bully me like that?)

"I know this is a gynae hospital. i am only here because I live across the street. This is the closest hospital to me.'' I said.

"Then you should come here everyday." The nurse chimed in and laughed.

I frowned. (that is a really bad joke. Why do I want to come here in everyday? you guys are mad. you had waited for three hours for this stupid joke. Sigh.....)

After an hour of waiting for my bill, a nurse motioned to me.

"Ms Kee, can I speak to you in private?"

"err...ok...''

"Ok, next time, you should go to a general practice hospital and not to a gynae hosipital. I don't know how to process your bill. I have to write a report tommorrow. I have to answer for this, allowing you to come back again without charging you consultation fee the second time. it is ok. never mind. I can write a report. The problem wasn't solved earlier and you came back.''

"Huh?...ok.'' (well...you know....maybe I am pregnant.)

"You shouldn't come here. You should go to other hospital. Our system is like that. Won't allow us to take in general practice cases. Each time.......'' She was going on and on. I was sick, remember, that was why I came here? I frowned at her. She looked really upset, almost in tears.

''Ok, I won't. I am sorry.'' (I had to apologise, really. She was looking really upset that I had to apologise. I wondered why later. Why should I apologise? I can't figure.)

(Firstly, if someone should complain. I should. The doctor in the morning shift read my blood test result inaccurately. I was infected and needed antibiotics. It was in that test result as the doctor in the evening shift pointed out. Then a nurse came along and made me feel indignified for having to write a one-paged report on my account why she should waive consultation fee for my second visit even when i didn't ask her to or demanded that she should. The nurse made a sick person who was suffering giddiness stand for 10 mins to listen to how she had to write a one-paged report the next day. What did I get from this whole thing? Oh yes, a free pregnancy test. thank you. huh? why? I must be really stupid because I don't really get this. Maybe the world should function this way. I am just an odd ball in this system.)

Let me evaluate this whole thing for a while and do that litmus test - What would JC do if he were in my shoes?
- would he say thank you and offer to pay for the pregnancy test?
- would he apologise to the nurse even though it was not his fault?
- would he lodge a complaint report and let the hospital know the flaws in the system so that they can change?
- would he recommend that the doctor in the morning shift get more training?
- would he just let things past and let the inefficiencies sink in and let wrong diagnoses happen again in the future because addressing the issues would make him seem like a bad guy? Afterall, he is all nice and merciful and I should be.
- would he ask the nurse who has to write a one-paged report to go get a pregnancy test because he thinks she should get something free as she seems really upset. Free stuff always make a singaporean very happy.

I don't know whether it was the infection that had me bedridden for the past four days or the realisation that the people I met function quite differently from me, think quite differently from me that had me not wanting to see anyone for the past four days.

But today is a refreshing change. No strange people. No strange test. No strange women telling me that they had done me a great favour even though I really didn't need one.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

never trust doctors, they are there to take your money...

and don't be shock to find that people around you are different from you, instead, learned to be surprised with joy in finding someone who actually think similarily as you do.

i have learned to accept the fact that i think very different from others and thus not too shock about it anymore.

though it's quite a funny story.

7:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

so, are you pregnant?

6:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heyo, sorry to hear that you were unwell. Trust that you are better already!

Haha hilarious. I wonder what that nice doc meant by "I know...". Was that her way of saying that she is able to empathize with the relief that a woman of your age background looks should feel in discovering that she is not "P..."?

I guess they, having seen so many with similar social economic and looks background must conclude that you are probably no different from everyone else and as such you would be living life and making choices in a manner that would predispose you to being prime candidate for such polyethylene based tests!

I found it difficult to explain to others my choices too. Many chose not to believe me when I answer their questions.

Well what to do? What can I say? Except that in my instance, I get no freebies!! sigh!!

haha ;)

Dipstick

4:37 PM  

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