Tongren Hospital, a surprise dinner and some more serious singing!

As I said in the last Hospital post  all this 30-40 degree heat, no air-conditioning in the office, 80% plus humidity, constant sweating and my pig-headed perseverance, something had to give.  So at the end of term my system finally gave in and I spend three days indoors mostly in bed; I was recovering.  I learned a lot from that.  The day here starts early, maybe 6am.  It stops maybe midday until 2pm and then continues.   I am now trying to fall into that pattern, but perhaps too late.  My skin is not good.  Particularly in places where constant wet clothing touches it.  This is my elbow, in case you are wondering!

It started at my shoulders, as prickly-heat, then dry patches and now this.  It is spreading.  Soon I will be a Ninja Turtle, my wife says she want a Michaelangelo.  I am preparing my orange bandanna later this week before I loose the use of my hands!  However, having tried it on, it does not look good with a pair of glasses poking through the eye holes!

 It is only by chance I am going to Tongren hospital.  It goes as follows: my boss Jamie came over with two of his colleagues to meet Sherika and take us all out to dinner.He asked how I was and I told him.  He looked concerned, then thoughtful.  He had a chat with one of his bosses.  Apparently one of his bosses had suffered from something similar and had had it cured at Tongren Hospital because he knew a specialist doctor.  Long story short, it was arranged that I should go to Tongren and see this doctor too.  I am hoping they know what I have and can both explain it and offer a cure.  I will be going today at 10:25 am. And right on time (Chinese time) the car arrived at 10:45.

We set off to Tongren, about half an hour to three quarters of an hour away.  We got there about 11:20, but we're unable to contact anyone until noon.  It was then that we found that the doctor we needed was not available until 20 p.m.  So we did what most other Chinese would do at this time:eat!

Left to right, Mr Long, an English teacher an my interpreter, the waitress and the school driver.

Then off to the hospital.  This looked like a big hospital

 ....even the signs were in Chinese and English .......and sometimes a bit of Chinglish too!

Fire Hyorant!

We had a couple of hours to kill so we went to the reception area of the hospital. I'm glad someone was with me because it was not very clear where you would go.

Special Crowd Window

Military, Pregnant women, Old man, Expert Testimony, First Window

Hanging Window

Mr Long my interpreter told me to rest and put me in a blue aircraft cabin type seat.  He scanned a barcode and my chair started to massage me!  Yikes!  Because of my build the massage was a bit off, but I tried to relax.  It was not bad until it got to my lower back and coxis area.  It then poked in places that I would rather it hadn't!  It eventually stopped and I slept for a while.  When I woke up it was nearly time to see the doctor but I was thirsty.  There was a drink machine but it had no money slot.  I asked for help.  Apparently you push the button you want, a QR code appears and you scan it.  Your phone  pays and you get the drink.  I pressed the button.  Scanned the code and got my drink.  Another skill, another little adventure!

We went upstairs and waited again.  A small queue formed outside the doctor's room.   The door was left open and whatever happened in their was on display to all.  Nobody showed any signs of distress or worry at this lack of privacy...except me.  But you get used to a lack of privacy in China...everyone seems to do everything in groups..but strangely, unlike the uk, women don't seem to go to the toilet in twos!
The consultation was not like a consultation in the UK.  The doctor just lookedtod my interpretter what was wrong and he told me.  I asked questions.  The Doctor looked uneasy about this, it was as if he was the highly respected doctor and no one should question him.  To be fair, I have met consultants like that in the UK too!  Anyhow, after the consultation it was off for bloods and urine, then back to the doctor.  He looked at the tests, made his pronouncement and gave my prescription.  Again I asked questions.  Again the doctor looked embarrassed, as did my interpreter.  I looked at his prescription and asked questions.  The item that puzzled me was the special body wash: 30ml.  I was told that I could not use soap on my body and in my opinion  30 ml is not much.  I asked why so little and he replied that I should only wash the worst affected areas.  He looked very uncomfortable at my questions and I realised that this was going nowhere, so I let it go.  Then of to the raft of ATMs and time to pay.  There must have been about thirty of them in the reception area alone!  Then time for home.  Thank goodness!

When I got home I tried out the medicines.  I also got a message from Parklady.  "Would I like to sing at the Stadium?"  Yikes!  I had visions of being at a podium at a basketball game, but it turned out only to be community singing again. Relief.