Doc Visit

My body is breaking down. I'm not sure if it is because I haven't taken a break in such a long while or whether it is just an onset of age-related nigglings. But today I am on medical leave because, for a second night, I threw up in the middle of the night and had the runs to boot. Since I was due for gynae appointment this morning anyway, I didn't go to a GP, but spoke to my gynae, Prof K, instead. He thinks it is acid reflux and has given me 2 days of medical leave and told me to try a bunch of stuff that includes sleeping on my left (yes, really!), raising my pillow, not eating within 3 hours of bedtime, keeping a food diary and not getting stressed. My BP is also creeping up, he says. 

I like him. I have been seeing him since I was pregnant with J and he has grown to be a good friend. What I appreciate about him is that he takes a wholistic approach, never says "that's not my department" and listens to every ailment I moan to him about - "my elbow and fingers hurt, my neck hurts, my knee hurts, I can't wake up in the mornings, my migraine is back, I can't focus for as long as I used to, I'm depressed ...." Hahahaha. I think he is worth his weight in gold just for that patient listening :)

I appreciate Prof K all the more after my visit to the Clementi Polyclinic last Thursday. It has been more than 10 years since I visited the polyclinic but sadly, beyond the upgrade of technical facilities (now I can scan my ID card to get a queue number), I don't think much has changed in terms of quality of care. I waited 1 1/2 hours to see the doctor and my 5 minute consultation was such an irritating encounter I was glad I only went to get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon (for said elbow, knee, fingers and neck) and not for medical attention. The doc who attended to me was abrupt and didn't give me time to finish listing my woes and then told me "You are 53. This is all old age. You just have to live with it. Don't waste time and money going to a specialist." I then asked him what he suggested I do and his reply - "I will give you Panadol." If I had had an umbrella and I hadn't already waited 1 1/2 hours and didn't need a referral badly, I swear I would have hit him on the head. 

It made me think though - how many people who can't afford anything more than the primary care offered at our polyclinics, who do not know how to negotiate the bureaucracies of getting specialist care and lack the self-confidence to know that "living with it" is not the only option available - are putting up with pain every day.