MMMiii!

For the first time, I went to the hospital uber willingly — Yes, I did, despite my phobia. Sure, I went there with teary eyes and a limp, but I wanted to try getting stronger painkillers — which I didn’t get. No, it’s not that I wasn’t in pain so much, but my university’s infirmary’s pharmacy didn’t have it. Stupid doctor, prescribing me medication which did not exist!

Anyway, the conversations I am about to post that took place at the hospital were in Filipino but I shall translate them anyway for the sake of my readers.

Upon arriving in the UP Diliman Infirmatay [read: inFER-mah-TAI (Infirmary + Patay [dead]… because people accidentally die there) ER…

Receptionist: What do you need?
Mi: I sprained my ankle.
Receptionist: Okay, fill this out.

And so I fill it out… and she makes me wait… standing… I wanted to say “Hi, I’m in pain here?” After a while, I couldn’t STAND any longer so I limped to a chair and sat, and thankfully, a doctor saw me and told me to take off my shoes and remove my socks, raise my foot and show it to her. Then she told me to wait for a bit until I get attended to.

After a while, I get interviewed by the receptionist again and shouts at someone to put me on a wheelchair to be sent to a doctor to ask to be advised to have it x-rayed.

Person: Could you walk?
Mi: Yes, I could hop.
Person: Okay, walk to the stretcher, it’s just near.

So I hop towards the stretcher, and midway, she tells me to go on Bed 1 instead. I, puzzled, wondered why she was taking me to the stretcher then to the bed.

Receptionist: Why are you hopping around?
Mi: She told me to (pointing to the Person)
Receptionist: I told you to get her on a wheelchair!
Person: Wheelchair? I thought you said stretcher.

I just HAD to laugh a little, even with the pain. Eventually, I was put on a wheelchair and wheeled about– to another doctor, an obstetrician-gynecologist. Why, WHY am I to be examined by an ob-gyne?

I waited for about 10 minutes just looking at her because she was writing on someone else’s info sheet and finally she looked at my foot. She asked me a couple of stuff.

Doctor: When did this happen?
Mi: Yesterday, at approximately this time.
Doctor: Why did you come here only now?
Mi: I had to teach.
Doctor: Teachers! Why didn’t you come afterwards?
Mi: I was so sleepy, I just wanted to sleep, so I went home.
Doctor: Do you have anyone with you?
Mi: No one.

She then wrote on my info sheet some couple of stuff, including my “foot” to be x-rayed.

Doctor: When did you last get examined?
Mi: Umm… when I was a freshman.
Doctor: When was that?
Mi: 2001. (Duh, it says on my info sheet that my student number starts with 2001)
Doctor: What?! You should have a check-up at least once a year!
Mi: *Smiles* I’m healthy.
Doctor: I can see that.
Mi: *smirks*

And so, I get my first wheelchair ride, which was to the x-ray room. The one pushing/pulling me about wasn’t very gentle either. It was a very bumpy ride. So much for my dreams of a fun wheelchair ride.

At the x-ray area…

X-Rayer (Dunno what to call him, sorry): ID or Form-5 please. (to get a student discount)
Mi: Okay.
X-Rayer: When were you last x-rayed?
Mi: Umm… When I entered college… 2001.
X-Rayer: Wow. Okay.

Then I get wheeled inside the x-ray room and he asks me some questions, and then I get on the table.

X-Rayer: Can you climb by yourself?
Mi: Yeah.
X-Rayer: You’re bigger than me. You should be able to.
Mi’s mind: Sure, I’m just a little injured, right?

After much pain, I get on the table and he pokes at the bruises, asking me where it hurts.

X-Rayer: What happened?
Mi: I sprained my ankle.
X-Rayer: Why are you getting your foot x-rayed then, instead of your ankle?
Mi: No idea. I’m not the doctor.
X-Rayer: She wrote “foot” when you sprained your “ankle.” What the heck was she thinking?

And then I get a lecture on which is the “foot,” the “ankle,” the “shin,” the “knee,” and the “leg.” Then he made me position my foot properly to get the x-ray, and then I paid PhP32 and got wheeled back to the ER.

Doctor: Well, it’s not broken.
Mi: I don’t think I could’ve walked here if it were broken.
Doctor: Well, yeah, a radiologist must still look at it though in case of fractures since I can’t tell.
Mi’s mind: Well duh. You’re an ob-gyne.
Mi: Okay.
Doctor: You still have to come back.
Mi: Okay. Is there anything I can take for the pain?
Doctor: I already prescribed you something! (as if I’m a child who couldn’t understand)
Mi’s mind: I would know if you would’ve given it to me.
Doctor: Oh Here it is. (to the Person) Wrap her foot in a bandage.
Person: Okay

Then she wraps it… quite loosely.

Mi: Is this necessary?
Person: Yes.
Mi: We have bandages at home.
Person: Well you’re not at home right now.
Mi: Okay.
Person: Is it too tight?
Mi: No, it’s too loose.

Then she unwraps it and re-wraps it. Doctor FINALLY gives me the prescription and tells me I could go home now, but not to wear my shoe.

Doctor: Do you have anyone with you?
Mi: No one.
Doctor: How are you going to go home then?
Mi: Going to hop. It doesn’t hurt much if I only walk on my heel.
Doctor: Okay. Wear your shoe then.
Mi: Okay.
Doctor: By the way, stop walking around so much. Bed rest. And keep your foot elevated when you get home.
Mi: Okay.
Mi’s mind: Yup. Definitely. Not.

Seriously, I don’t wonder anymore why it’s called Infirmatay. With that kind of treatment?

On my way out, Person runs after me and makes me pay for the useless bandage worth PhP60. I go to the pharmacy and they tell me that they don’t carry those medications so I helplessly limp and flag a taxi a mile away.

I spent a total of P140 on taxi rides today, and P92 at the hospital, not including medicine, and P45 for lunch. I had to touch my emergency forbidden money (my 10-peso coins).

I’m broke again. Have to withdraw money again. darnit.

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