i had to go to the doctor the other day for a “physical” sort of check up for work. basically i just needed a signed document from the doc that stated i was in good enough condition to be working. anyway. so, a trip to the doctor… sounds pretty normal, yeah?
rewind back to tuesday…
i hailed a taxi and once i got in, i pulled out my google map (that i had printed out) of the location of the hospital. i showed it to the driver while smiling the smile that says, “i know you can’t help but like me.” he seemed to understand where to go from the map, and i knew where the hospital was located because i had passed it before – which meant that we were an unstoppable force, right? wrong.
about the time we started turning into a neighborhood, i realized we were not at the hospital… nor were we close. this was 1) my fault because apparently i got caught up in whatever i was thinking about and was not paying attention and b) his fault because he had the map. so i tried saying the name of the hospital over and over to him (because there’s so many in the same vicinity?), and he didn’t seem to understand. i also tried words like “doctor” and “medical” but those did not work either. he then took another, very close, look at the map and somehow, all of a sudden, it clicked. and he said, “Ohh Paolo?” to which i said, “yes.” because that’s the name of the hospital i had been saying to him. so now that the location was finally settled, i apologized that i wasn’t paying attention, while gesturing to myself because i knew he didn’t understand english. and then he got a concerned look on his face and said “ohhh.” it took me a moment, but i think since he finally figured out he was taking me to the hospital, paired with the unknown words i had just spoken and the gesture to myself… he probably assumed i was ill. and/or also crazy.
but my fun day wasn’t over yet.
taxi man ended up dropping me off at the emergency room entrance. not a problem, i’d just figure out where to go from there. as we pull up and i start getting out, i am quickly ushered in by a waiting attendent. my first thought was, “my, what service.” my second thought was, “oh geez. they probably think i have an emergency.” so i get into the building and a nurse promptly approaches me and i say to her, “Hi. I need to get a check up for my work permit.” she responds with, “Ohh, here to check on friend? Is that them?” and while she is saying this she is leading me toward a body laying on a hospital cart thingy and all i can see is feet sticking out from under a sheet! well something in me kinda freaked out, right – so i stop her and say “No no no, no friend no friend.”
she finally figures out why i am there, and directs me toward where i actually need to go. i then fill out some papers and afterward i had a personal assistant type of person leading me around. when i was getting my blood pressure taken, she said that i looked like a doll and that i was so cute. that made me feel… seven. and flattered because it was some sort of compliment? i think it’s because dolls tend to have big eyes… and i tend to look younger than i am. i digress.
so i finally see the doc and all he does is listen to my heart and tap around on my stomach… and due to that thorough examination, i was deemed in excellent condition to work. people! i could be bleeding internally right now and i wouldn’t know! or i could have water on the left part of my brain! or i could have calcium deposits on my hip bone (which is connected to the knee bone), and i’d have no clue!
in all honesty, it was a pleasant experience and the Thai staff at the hospital were incredibly friendly and helpful. and the time i spent in the hospital was actually less than the time i spent in the taxi.
i actually have more random stories like this (from this week alone), but that one was kinda long. so if you’ve made it this far… “you get nothing! you lose!” (anybody? anybody?)
and hey, have a good thursday :)
