Chinese Doctor

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I wouldn't judge the NHS by my experience with one doctor so I'm not going to do that for Chinese medicine either, but today I went to a local clinic for the first time and saw a doctor in much the same way that a 'regular' Chinese person would, rather than going to the swish foreign clinic in Hangzhou.

Amanda had to come with me because no-one spoke English and I was glad she was there to hold my hand (literally, but more of that later). The clinic was in two parts, for one IV drips and one for the doctors. Drips are a very big part of medicine here, because it gets into your blood quicker. Inconvenient though. Tarik's not well at the moment and he is currently at the clinic with a drip in his hand and he's got to stay there for 4 hours.

Anyway, we didn't have to wait, which was good because you can't make appointments, just turn up. This guy was recommended by a parent at work who's wife suffers from bad skin. The roaccutane the doctor in Hangzhou gave me worked a little for a couple of weeks then stopped and since then it's been getting worse and worse so I figured I'd give this a shot.

There were four doctors in separate cubicles, each with only a curtain that pretty much stayed open the whole time. There was no privacy and I'm sure it will be going round Tonglu as we speak that one of the foreign teachers went to the doctors and what it was for.

I wasn't impressed that the doctor didn't ask me any questions. He just looked at my skin and started telling Amanda what I can and can't eat (no sweet food, no spicy food, no oil - virtually impossible here, no dairy, and I shouldn't watch TV or use computers if I can help it). So Amanda told him my history and some of the other things that are wrong with me (!) and then he prescribed some medicine. It was certainly far cheaper than in Hangzhou, I got about twice the medicine for a third of the price, and he gave me more roaccutane, but this time with lots of other things as well. In total, I will have to take 49 pills each day and clean and put some cream three times a day.

The pharmacist in the clinic was very nice and wrote down exactly what i have to take and when. After than I had to go back into see the doctor. By this time there were two other people squeezed into this little cubicle, on was another patient, another just some random guy, and the doctor came towards me with a big gold needle thing and started jabbing at my spots. Now, to put it into context, my face has been so sore recently that last night I couldn't even sleep on my tummy as I normally do as the pressure of my face against the pillow was too much. So a sharp needle was agony, Amanda told me to squeeze her hand but she's such a slim thing I didn't want to hurt her. I actually cried and could only bear it for three or four then i had to get him to stop. He was laughing (not in a mean way, but Chinese people laugh a lot when they are uncomfortable, it's really annoying) and people were looking, but it was bloody painful.

Then we went outside I was still upset, partly from the pain, partly from the humiliation and partly just from the fact that I am 28 years old and my skin is worse than it's ever been and people look at me and notice it and I hate it. And I don't usually let myself dwell on it, but it all came out. Luckily my wee sad spell didn't last more than a few minutes, but my face was sore for the next half hour or so.

I have to go back in a week, and then may do more spot poking (clearing out, he calls it) and give me more meds. This other woman who recommended him was apparently fine after three weeks so that thought will keep me going.

In other news, I did another practise GMAT today and did far better than last time. If I can get another 50 points in the next 4 weeks I should be in the range for all of the business schools I want to apply to. Woo hoo!!

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