There is one thing that that people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and socio economic class have in common – we all get sick. It is a unifying human experience. Regardless of whether you are old or young, rich or poor, black or white, at some point in your life, you have been ill and likely you have seen a doctor or healer.
That said, I can now add going to a Chinese hospital to my list of foreign experiences. I knew coming to China that it was probably going to be physically challenging because of the pollution, my particular sensitivity to air quality and multiple allergies. Other challenging aspects for me here are that I work with kids which means I am exposed to a lot of viruses, and the fact most Chinese people do not cover their mouths when coughing , sneezing etc. So it isn’t too surprising that after being here just over a month, I came down with the crud. At first I thought I was having bad allergies as it has been rainy and extra humid but I quickly realized that it was not when I developed what my mom called my hacking cough. After being sick on my two days off I went into work and asked if one of the local staff could accompany me to the doctor.
We went to a local clinic where they took my temperature first thing. Because of swine flu fears if you have a fever you must go to the hospital rather than a local clinic. Then I paid a small registration fee and waited to see a doctor. The doctor examined me, asked me questions (through the translator), listened to my lungs, and then shipped me off to get an x-ray and blood work. I was surprised to get an x-ray so quickly; I don’t think I’ve ever gotten an x-ray for a cough before! The x-ray and high white blood cell count in my blood indicated bronchitis so I was given antibiotics and told to rest and sent home.
Unfortunately for me my adventure did not end there. My cough dragged on so that I could not sleep at night and 3 days later I went to a local hospital. Again I had a translator from my school accompany me and I saw the doctor, got blood work, and then was given a different antibiotic. Unfortunately all the cough syrup had codeine in it which I am allergic to so I was out of luck there. I must admit that going to a local Chinese hospital is certainly an eye opening experience and certainly I did feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb (pardon the analogy). Everyone stared at me (something I have gotten used to) and I am sure everyone was surprised to see me, a lao wai 老外or foreigner, at their hospital. The hospital was filled with people that were sick and some who the local staff person told me were migrant workers with laboring injuries. I certainly felt lucky to just be suffering from a cough – all of my limbs were intact and I was not in danger.
Two days later and without signs of improvement, I decided to go to the International ward of a different hospital so that I wouldn’t need a translator. I went in the evening which meant that it was quiet there and I was examined again given the same diagnosis, Bronchitis. This time I was at least given cough syrup I could take and told to come back in 2-3 days if I wasn’t improving. This international ward was western in feel with plush office chairs and a heated waiting room and everyone there spoke English. It was the polar opposite experience of the local hospital that I had gone two a few days earlier which was crowded, featured no heating in the waiting area, had plastic chairs and poor lighting. Of course there is a cost difference but I decided that it was worth it for me to be able to communicate with the doctor and not have to wait for a translator to go with me.
After two more days, I was a little better but still quite sick so I went back to the international ward where I went through the whole rigmarole again but this time they decided to give me an IV with antibiotics. Also my blood work showed that in additional to a bronchial infection (and now a sinus infection); I had a virus as well. Fun times! So I am hoping this concludes my visits to the doctor for a long time. I am slowly getting better but it feels like baby steps instead of the giant leaps that I want to take. I will be patient and resist the urge to overdo it. I have never been good at taking it easy!
Hopefully the next time I write, this particular chapter of my adventure will be over.
That said, I can now add going to a Chinese hospital to my list of foreign experiences. I knew coming to China that it was probably going to be physically challenging because of the pollution, my particular sensitivity to air quality and multiple allergies. Other challenging aspects for me here are that I work with kids which means I am exposed to a lot of viruses, and the fact most Chinese people do not cover their mouths when coughing , sneezing etc. So it isn’t too surprising that after being here just over a month, I came down with the crud. At first I thought I was having bad allergies as it has been rainy and extra humid but I quickly realized that it was not when I developed what my mom called my hacking cough. After being sick on my two days off I went into work and asked if one of the local staff could accompany me to the doctor.
We went to a local clinic where they took my temperature first thing. Because of swine flu fears if you have a fever you must go to the hospital rather than a local clinic. Then I paid a small registration fee and waited to see a doctor. The doctor examined me, asked me questions (through the translator), listened to my lungs, and then shipped me off to get an x-ray and blood work. I was surprised to get an x-ray so quickly; I don’t think I’ve ever gotten an x-ray for a cough before! The x-ray and high white blood cell count in my blood indicated bronchitis so I was given antibiotics and told to rest and sent home.
Unfortunately for me my adventure did not end there. My cough dragged on so that I could not sleep at night and 3 days later I went to a local hospital. Again I had a translator from my school accompany me and I saw the doctor, got blood work, and then was given a different antibiotic. Unfortunately all the cough syrup had codeine in it which I am allergic to so I was out of luck there. I must admit that going to a local Chinese hospital is certainly an eye opening experience and certainly I did feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb (pardon the analogy). Everyone stared at me (something I have gotten used to) and I am sure everyone was surprised to see me, a lao wai 老外or foreigner, at their hospital. The hospital was filled with people that were sick and some who the local staff person told me were migrant workers with laboring injuries. I certainly felt lucky to just be suffering from a cough – all of my limbs were intact and I was not in danger.
Two days later and without signs of improvement, I decided to go to the International ward of a different hospital so that I wouldn’t need a translator. I went in the evening which meant that it was quiet there and I was examined again given the same diagnosis, Bronchitis. This time I was at least given cough syrup I could take and told to come back in 2-3 days if I wasn’t improving. This international ward was western in feel with plush office chairs and a heated waiting room and everyone there spoke English. It was the polar opposite experience of the local hospital that I had gone two a few days earlier which was crowded, featured no heating in the waiting area, had plastic chairs and poor lighting. Of course there is a cost difference but I decided that it was worth it for me to be able to communicate with the doctor and not have to wait for a translator to go with me.
After two more days, I was a little better but still quite sick so I went back to the international ward where I went through the whole rigmarole again but this time they decided to give me an IV with antibiotics. Also my blood work showed that in additional to a bronchial infection (and now a sinus infection); I had a virus as well. Fun times! So I am hoping this concludes my visits to the doctor for a long time. I am slowly getting better but it feels like baby steps instead of the giant leaps that I want to take. I will be patient and resist the urge to overdo it. I have never been good at taking it easy!
Hopefully the next time I write, this particular chapter of my adventure will be over.