Sunday, February 22, 2004
The Clinic Encounter

After dinner, my parents and I went to the family clinic because dad was having some problems with his left eyes. When we drove past the clinic, there were so many patients in it. Come to think of it, the amount of patients were only one fourth of what we saw because one patient would come with a minimum of three other family members. So we waited patiently outside while I made a terrible phone call to one of my future housemates querying him about a payment that he did not even know about. I still think it's damn F-king unfair to pay RM 250 for the agreement. (Updated: paid and settled)

So after waiting for more than 30 minutes, it was finally my dad's turn.

Doc: What's wrong with you?

Dad: I have some problem with my left eye. It's red and it gives me the stinging effect. The problem arise since three weeks ago but it just turned red yesterday. Could it be conjunctivitis?

Doc: Hmphh.. If it's conjunctivitis, it's rather surprising why the right eye is not affected.

Dad: The other day I rubbed it. No. But I am worried if it's laceration. Is there anyway for me to find out?

Doc: Okay. I can do a dye for you if you want to to check whether is it laceration.

Dad: How long would it take?

Doc: 10 minutes? But I need to attend to the waiting patients first.

Dad: Okie, I'll wait.

After 10 minutes,

Doc: *called my Dad, made him lie down and prepared a syringe*

Me: (oh boy, doc is going to poke some needle into your eyeball man)

Dad: I think I want to go see an eye specialist.

Doc: Then why are you here. (That's a very good question. Ha-ha)

Dad: What is that *referring to the syringe*? Is that distilled water?

Doc: NO! Distilled water is what you use in car batteries! Now relax. I don't see any signs of you relaxing.

Dad: How would you be able to tell whether is it laceration?
(Now I know the real reason behind my questionings)

Doc: You know when you go into Mc Donalds and ask them about the ingredients in their chicken fillet, they won't tell you. It's a secret. Same here. They don't tell you its formula.

While waiting for the result, I was looking at some post-menopausal syndromes. I was telling myself how badly I don't want to suffer from all that. Damn.. Don't take away my estrogens. I still want to feel sexy you know. Ha-ha. And that's when pharmaceutical companies are coming in and try to give 'Awareness campaigns (read: BUY MORE HRT!!!)' to women who are undergoing such process.

Doc: Girl. Come here. Look ( Point at Dad's eyes)

Me: Yes what am I supposed to look for? The green fine line or the green dot below his pupil? (What 'dye' was that man. Freaky)

Doc: Yes, there is laceration and it corneal ulcer.

Me: (Fantastic. How did he ever get that. Amazing) *walks over to see the cover of the green stuff doc used. FLUORETS it says. (sounds like clorets though). Fluorescein sodium BP 1mg.

Dad: So what do I do about it?

Doc: Well, tomorrow is a public holiday and unless you want to go to Tun Hussein Onn's Eye Hospital there's nothing you could do about it. *prescribes some eye drops called Neo Deka (?) and Dexa*

Out out out...

At the dispensary, i saw a list of MasterCards/Mastercard Electronic/Amex stickers and blah blah blah blah blah pasted on the glass panel.

Me: Wow, dad. Clinics look pretty commersialise these days you know.

Dad: *points to all the stickers. NEVER EVER USE ALL THIS. They will try to kill you*

Me: *points back to all the stickers. People working in the credit card sales will tell you to 'PLEASE USE IT. Or not no $$ for me!'

For that particular hour, doc could easily make RM 200-300. Well, [thumb up] sign!

My friend, who is a medical student told me this recently.
'After all the sufferings we have to go through, only $$ can come close to our souls.'

True? Not True? Right? Not Right? Know? Don't Know? You decide!

Cheers

n-g || 10:48 pm || ||
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