A Visit To The Doctors

Ciejay says it's time for her monthly visit to the Dr.Well we have to drive all the way to Kanchanaburi as our small hospital here in Wang Pho can't do a Pt blood test . Ciejay takes Warfarin, as she has had a valve transplant and this keeps her blood thin , but have to be careful not to thin , therefore a PT blood test every month. Which means every month a trip that starts at 6 o'clock am till 6 o'clock pm before getting home .If you have ever been to a Thai hospital you will know what I mean by all day affair, if not I will try to explain a little , . No you don't call for an appointment , you just show up and it's first come first served and I can asure you thats it's always crowded,and it's as if it's every man or woman for himself to get in the place . But to my surprise no matter how many or how busy it seems, the nurses and staff seem, cool, calm ,and collect and with that smile ,that Thai's are so famous for. They have every thing under control. get in line , start here , go ,there , finally sit here and wait till they call your name , then proceed to that area, and take this nunber, and sit in these chairs, till the nurse tell you to go in and see the Dr. Hello how are you ?. how do you feel ?where does it hurt ?. ok this medicine will fix you right up . go sit outside till I write the prescribed medicine for you, then take it to that window and wait for them to call your name and give you your medicine, and if it does not make you better, when it runs out come back, and we'll try something. It goes something like that , since I can't speak Thai , this is my interpretation of the whole thing , I know it sounds like it happens in a few minutes time , but let me asure you it can take all day. as a general rule there are only three or four doctors to see the general public , and when there is at least a couple hundred people there you sometimes wonder if they will ever call your name , then there it is that wonderful sound "Ciejay Burgess" and in you go and finish you run of the gountlet and you're on your way home , of course not without a stop at Tesco Lotus to shop for a few things you need , and a stop at a road side market to buy dinner in a plastic bag to go , all this in a day at the hospital and another day in the LOS.