The Polyclinic

The tummy didn't get any better since last night. Think the diarrhoea is really acting up this time... been to the toilet at least 4 times this morning, excluding the 4 times last night. Was it the spicy chicken set I had last evening? Wonder if Nat also had the runs.... hahaha.....

Decided to try out the polyclinic. It's conveniently located just across the road. It's already past 10.30am and I guess that's the most crowded period of the day. Registration was a breeze, identification and a 5 mins wait before my particulars are recorded and the doctor assigned. Room 13, wait for your number 515. Good, let's see.... a good number of folks there are elderly. Wonder how long they had been waiting. The electronic signboard says that the average waiting time is 1 hr 30 mins. But then I had priority due to my blood donor status.... anyway, I am in no hurry. The tummy is acting up slightly, but it seems to be getting better.

My turn came soon enough, after a 15 mins wait. Not a major ailment, so I guess I had made the doctor's work much easier this morning, hahahaa... Well, she did quite a careful check, making the necessary inspection, take temperatures, make my lie on the examination bed and checked to make sure the stomach cramps are not due to other problems.

Collection at the pharmacy is the worst of the wait. People were waiting and the space was indequate to offer even comfortable standing room. Collection of the medicine and payment was equally messy. Nevertheless, I got my medicine soon enough. The total cost is $10/- inclusive of the standard medicine - 10 tablets of small green pills. All in, I spend just over an hour there, thanks to the priority status. Well, my first taste of what it means to be on public subsidised medical care. Now, gotta rush back home for the toilet.... hahaha......