Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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.
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4 comments:
Hi Malcolm and CieJay, this is almost a spittgn image of a visit to to the Polyclinic in Yambol, a whole day involved, no appointments and first come first served, althought sometimes ythat doesn't happen as gypsies tend to push in!
A day out each month, that 12 days ofd the year gone both you chaps then.
Keep Well.
Malcolm my Mum was on Warfarin until recently so I know the score there. I once took MTF to the local hospital, but for an x-ray so it was actually quite quick.
Generally health care is quite good I think.
Two hundred or so people at the hospital, I assume Thaksin's 30 baht medical card is still in use. I have noticed with Wilai and her family that they are more prepared to make use of Thailand's medical facilities more than they were 5 years before.
Whatever bad may be said about the man whose popularity in Isaan land is still strong, Mr Shinawatra did a lot of good for the poorer Thai people with his 30 baht scheme.
I am sure your wait for your wonderful wife Ciejay was worth every minute. I have enjoyed reading this post as it was very informative to me regarding the possible change of mind towards medical care by the Thai people. Keep blogging and I'll keep reading. HD
Martin, there is good care for Thai people for medical reasons , even tho it takes a day , it's worth it to stay healthy.
Mike, I am ever so grateful for the care Ciejay gets at the hospital , I know in the USA after all the calls and appointment making , it will sometimes be one month before you get to see Dr. even if it takes all day , it is better than waiting a month . I take the stuff too as I have had a triple by-pass , have to be so careful , but keeps me alive .
Martyn , now in Thailand no one has to have a 30 baht card ,all they need is a thai ID card and their in ,everything is free except for private rooms and i have found that free care here in the LOS is better than what some folks pay in the good ole USA , especially the young and elderly sometimes in America they are bounced from one Dr. to another ,just for the insurance monies .Ciejay never pays a cent as is the case with all Thais now , and my cost is so discounted compared to the USA, that I don't even complain.
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