Of Hospitals and Doctors

Calls to prayer wake me at dawn. Today I have to get some paperwork done. Bit of a problem seeing that it's Eid. Also have to go for full medical check-ups. Zachary arrives to take me. He is on time.  I sit in the back and stare at the passing scenery, totally detached. We stop and start. In and out. Fill in, complete, sign. Zachary wastes no time. I trail behind him from one unit to the next. Very politicaly correct, but actually it's only because I can't match his stride. I was bloody healthy when I walked in there, but start having doubts. I don’t mind having blood taken from me, its getting injected with stuff that freaks me out. When I have to give a stool-monster, I lose it. I tell them I’m from South Africa and not some weird fuckin planet and in our country you go to hospital when you’re ill, not when you’re well, and this whole bloomin medical is unnecesary, stupid and upsetting, when all I want to do, is teach. The Fillipinos (HR dept) aren’t use to this kind of reaction and is extremely concerned about my well-being. They want Zachary to take me back to my villa to go and rest...

After two days I have to go back to check the results of the TB test. It's a mission. I can vaguely remember where I went. You can ask ten people for directions and nine will ignore you. I learn not to make eye-contact with the local nationals. They ignore me and I respond in kind. I have forgotten to take my immunization card and burst out crying. They quickly make me a new one. Two doctors argue about my results. They draw circles and lines and measure with rulers. I insist they explain very carefully. It should have grown or it shouldn't have? Is positive, good or bad? It turns out I'm fine (as I already knew) and only have to come back in a year.

Another day passes and I receive a note that I have to go for yet another vaccination. I choose a more accessable hospital.

I’m getting to know my way around the hospitals because. It seems I've had to go for every conceivable test and vaccination, irrespective of whether I had it done in my home-country. The hospital is built like a maze. You are not meant to find your way around it. I rush over there after school for my hepatitis vaccination. Keep my eyes down and dodge the locals. Ask no questions and run around till I’m almost back to where I started. Thank goodness for the Filipino at the desk. “I’m lost” (and not for the first time either). She tells the porter to assist me. “Oh, you want to go for vaccination?” No..Hello? I don’t want to go, I have to go.