put on hold

Got some time on my hands to reflect on these last months. Involuntarily. Abandoned Travel plans due to an injury attained during a tackle, playing soccer of course. At least I could experience the Chinese health system up close and in full swing, swinging at me. Went twice, already, to the doctor at the 上海交通大学医学院附属瑞金医院 (Remember, when you come to Shanghai)

A good rule, I am told, is not to go to the local district hospital, they may turn you down or let you wait forever. Go to some fancier central place, connected to the university at best. So here we were! My first time, the emergency room. The place felt and smelt a bit like on of these indoor swimming pools in dire need of renovation. It was all very simple. I went in, first to the information desk, then to the cashier (which would turn out to be the most important location of the whole place). They gave me a card - I, and my health history are henceforth registered with this particular hospital - upon payment of 1 Euro 40 Cents(Since I am not a Shanghai resident I cannot obtain a card that works in every hospital in town). Included was the first look at my foot by the doctor. So here I was, in front of the 骨科 (science of the bone) room, where one doctor (probably my age) handled all the evenings emergencies. He was not particularly attentive, to say the least. Send me right away to get an X-Ray, which I got in record time - 20 minutes I was back (on the way dropping once again by the cashier, another 14 Euro, gone). A quick glance apparently sufficed for a diagnosis, nothing broken, "just take it easy for a week". I was also asked if I believed in chinese medicine, and if I wanted some. Well, i believed my belief in pills of whatever kind (Chinese or Western) would aid recovery, so I bought this stuff, another 5 Euro.

So in all, 1.30 hours, 20 Euros later I had a take-home X-Ray and diagnosis and some pills - fair deal.

Unfortunately my foot didn't succumb to the diagnosis, but kept on bugging me. So I went a second time, in the morning, to the new section of the same hospital. Very fancy, brand new and 25 stories high. This time the information desk gave me a choice, 特别 or 普通 (special or general doctor). At the cashier I made that choice, going for the specialist. 10 Euros as opposed to, probably, 2 Euros. On the 14th floor the difference was already reflected in the waiting room. While hords of people were shuffling, sitting and moaning in front of the general doctors rooms (a bit like the subway station, or perhaps even that weird low-ceiling room of the Shanghai stock-exchange) my waiting room on the other side was almost deserted. Also, the seating arrangements were leather sofas, as opposed to those plastic benches in the proletarian section. Never got to treat my behind with them, however. After delivering my card to the nurse, my name immediately popped up on the screen next to one of the doctor's rooms. I went in to meet a very jovial old man who took his time involving me in some small talk (the higher price, however, did not include him being able to speak English). Afterwards he stared at my X-Rays for a long time, prescribed some medicine (inflammatory stuff - produced in Munic, thank god) and bid me farewell. It was certainly much more reassuring than the first visit, but then again, cost almost five times as much as the first doctor. Nice view from his office though.