Clinic Trauma-Rama

I could barely open my eyes this morning. After two months of being on holiday, getting up early is no longer my forte although I believe 8.30am can still be considered dawn to many people. So after endless eye rubbing, yawning and non-breakfast morning (had to fast since 10pm last night, oh how I miss my late night snacks) I drove a good 40 minutes to the company panel clinic for my medical check up.

When I stepped into the clinic, all my sleepiness vanished in an instant. I was appalled at the condition of the clinic. It is so freaking old, I was worried the roof was going to collapse on me. The walls were various shades of yellow and brown with most of the wall paper decaying. The wooden doors leading to the doctor’s office were partially eaten by termites. The air was stiff and musty and stank of the horrible hospital-liked-antiseptics. The corners of the clinic had at least 10 years worth of dust positioned beautifully right next to the registration counter.

A healthy person like me felt sick at once. I repeat, I came in healthy; I went out not-so-healthy.

How can someone call this place a clinic?! It is absolutely disgusting and shocking that the reputable organisation which gave me a job could send me for a medical check-up in a place not fit for living masked as a clinic. The hushed whispers and incessant mutterings under my breath between my sister and I were clear indications of my disbelief to the lady who sat next to me.

I am still horrified at the conditions of the clinic. I have visited a number of clinics over the years and while some may be old, they are impeccably clean and neat. Here, even the seats were broken and the cushion covers tattered with I think a gazillion trillion hideous gnawing germs lurking at ever atomic particle that constitutes the place. Eeeiiii…. i still have goose bumps just thinking of the place.

So there was no surprise when the doctor told me he couldn’t detect a reading of my blood pressure, there wasn’t even a pulse! Hello, if I had no pulse, takkan I’m a dead person talking to him right? Only on the 4^th attempt a reading could be taken.

The blood test? Another hilarious story. Here I am all prepared for my blood test hoping I don’t faint and the doctor couldn’t draw enough blood. I saw the vial filled halfway and then suddenly there was no more blood flowing so he pierced deeper (oooucch!) and there was a lil more blood and again he went deeper. Next time choose a bigger vein la. Those 10 minutes were the longest blood drawing session I ever had. Oh, my fear of fainting? Didn’t happen. I think I was just in a hurry to get out of that place.

Ooh, that’s not all. I couldn’t conduct my X-Ray, lung capacity test and audio test because they don’t have such facilities so I was referred to another clinic in town, another 40 minutes drive from this clinic. So, if they don’t have all these facilities, how did they become a panel clinic? Shouldn’t all tests be conducted in one location instead of transferring the patients, and so far away too I might add. Thank heavens the second clinic was wayyyyyyyyy better.

If this is an indication of my future working conditions in the organisation, I’m afraid of what to expect. The brew of dissatisfaction, repulsion, astonishment and fear is not working so well in my stomach. Or it could be that darn clinic.