Thursday, June 26, 2008

The Medical Check-Up

24th of June: My first-time medical check up at the general hospital. I felt a bit nervous as there was an X-ray session besides other normal check-ups. I had arrived at the hospital at 2 pm which is exactly the time of my appointment.
The waiting room was crowded as usual ( I have been there several times to arrange a suitable period for my check-up)... Even before meeting the doctor, there was a pile of forms I had to fill... Those personal data's such as IC,address... just some usual information, yet they are troublesome... The pen I had lent from the counter kept running out of ink... Feeling bothered, I ended up fetching my own pen from the car, though it means that i had to walk to the parking lot to get it... All those forms were filled in just a few minutes (in my car). At last, I thought that I could finally get my medical check-ups. But, instead of going straight to the doctor's room, I found myself being handed yet another form which was meant to be fill by doctors who will be conducting my check-ups...
There were all together six different check-ups : measuring height and weight, eye inspection, X-ray session, urine test, and dental check-up. I was told to find the weighing machine 'just around the corner'. But it was no easy job finding the weighing machine... It was actually partially hidden under an empty desk(of course around a small corner)! It was so dirty as if everyone had wore shoes while stepping on it... Wow, i weighted less than 50 kg! It was lighter than i had expected... I had previously weighted 51 kg... Haha, i my weight have gone down by 6 kg. I am not kidding! Then, i measure my height, not too short, but I seemed to shrink... Never mind the height,i am not going to be a supermodel or an air stewardess anyway...
Next, I had to find the 11th room for my eye inspection... There was an old nurse jotting down some notes on the desk... Okay, the eye inspection went smoothly... I had thought that maybe my check up would finish at about 4 pm... But oh no, problem is just about to start... I was asked to go to the next building for the X-ray session...
There was a sign board on the door which spells ' Bilik X-ray' the X-ray room. I reached for the knob and found that it was locked... feeling a bit confused, I knocked the door several times... No one answered it... I thought that it was weird.... There I stood stupidly for at least 10 minutes until a medical officer passed by. Luckily, he informed me that the room was no longer in use and asked me go to yet another building for the X-ray session ( the hospital grounds cover a large area if you want to know)... I followed the directions he had given me to a medical building I had never been to at the other side of the main hospital building, I started searching for the X-ray room....There was no sign of it... Feeling frustrated, I asked a nurse who happened to be at the same building... Guess what she told me... I am at the wrong block... This time, she guided me to ANOTHER building ( a bit taller than the previous one) where there is a new X-ray room... I thanked her graciously, relieved to be at the X-ray room at last... But to my dismay, the room was packed with patients who had waited for ages to have their X-ray session... I was directed to yet another smaller building, where finally I did have my X-ray session after waiting for half an hour.... And also wasting another half an hour to receive my X-ray photos...
By the time I had done with my X-ray session, it was already 4.15 pm... I had not finished my check ups yet... There were two more to go...
The urine test was also testing my patience, I had to wait another 15 minutes before I can get hold of the small container to collect my urine sample... Then, I was surprised when I was told to come to the hospital again on the 1st of July to know the results...
Finally, the dental check up... I was informed that I had to go to the hospital's sister clinic to have my teeth examine... I rushed there, and got my check up just in time... I was the last customer there... By the time I had finished, it was nearly 5 pm... I got home exhausted from all the rushing and waiting just for a simple medical check up... Oh, and it did not end there... I still need to get the report for my urine test and the signature of the doctor before I complete my check up a few days to come....

No comments: