A Long Wait
I had to go to the doctor's on Saturday as I'm having a really bad sore throat. In TLOTW, there are numerous clinics around, almost every housing estate would have at least 2. However, my company only accepts medical certificates from a government doctor which meant that I had to travel 15 minutes to the doctors when there was just one right opposite my house.
It was my first time going to a government clinic and I have heard horror stories of the endless waiting. At the entrance, there were numerous signs, stating " If you have an appointment, go to Level XXX." " If you're here for an X-Ray, go to Level XXX Room ___" It was so confusing trying to figure out where to go. While I looked around like a lost child, all these older people were expertly locating the right counter to register. I could have sworn that they had a built in radar system telling them where to go. Oh, did I forget to mention that the building had like 7 floors with over a hundred rooms?! Feeling fustrated, I went to the nearest counter to register. Thankfully it was the right one. The nice lady gave me a queue number and told me to go wait at counters 10-17.
In my hand, I clutched my precious 4 digit number which would, hopefully, take me one step nearer to seeing the doctor. The waiting room was chaotic. There was a board where your number would be flashed. I thought that I could settle down and read my book for a while, since there were like 40 other people ahead of me. Then, right at the bottom of the number board this small sign read " Numbers may not be called in sequence, Please look out for your number."
It was worst than waiting for 4D results! Each time I heard that stupid mechanical chime, I would glance at my ticket and look up at the board. And since there were like 8 counters, there were times when 5 different numbers would be flashing at the same time. Talk about confusing. I really wondered how the elderly people could keep up with that darn flashing board.
When my number was finally called, I was given yet another number. From here on, it was all downhill.
I had to wait nearly 3 hours to see the doctor. 3 hours with a waiting room full of ill-behaved children was enough to bring back my headache. When I finally saw the doctor, I was perhaps, more sick than when I left the house that morning. After getting a precription, I had to go to the pharmancy and guess what? Get another queue number. Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long. But the doctor had also given me medical leave, which meant that I once again had to return to the chaotic waiting room to get ANOTHER queue number to collect my medical leave.
I was ready to pull my hair out at this point in time.
It has been two days and I'm not any better. But if you think I'm going to go back to that labyrinth of rooms and queue numbers, I think it's time You saw a doctor.
I had to go to the doctor's on Saturday as I'm having a really bad sore throat. In TLOTW, there are numerous clinics around, almost every housing estate would have at least 2. However, my company only accepts medical certificates from a government doctor which meant that I had to travel 15 minutes to the doctors when there was just one right opposite my house.
It was my first time going to a government clinic and I have heard horror stories of the endless waiting. At the entrance, there were numerous signs, stating " If you have an appointment, go to Level XXX." " If you're here for an X-Ray, go to Level XXX Room ___" It was so confusing trying to figure out where to go. While I looked around like a lost child, all these older people were expertly locating the right counter to register. I could have sworn that they had a built in radar system telling them where to go. Oh, did I forget to mention that the building had like 7 floors with over a hundred rooms?! Feeling fustrated, I went to the nearest counter to register. Thankfully it was the right one. The nice lady gave me a queue number and told me to go wait at counters 10-17.
In my hand, I clutched my precious 4 digit number which would, hopefully, take me one step nearer to seeing the doctor. The waiting room was chaotic. There was a board where your number would be flashed. I thought that I could settle down and read my book for a while, since there were like 40 other people ahead of me. Then, right at the bottom of the number board this small sign read " Numbers may not be called in sequence, Please look out for your number."
It was worst than waiting for 4D results! Each time I heard that stupid mechanical chime, I would glance at my ticket and look up at the board. And since there were like 8 counters, there were times when 5 different numbers would be flashing at the same time. Talk about confusing. I really wondered how the elderly people could keep up with that darn flashing board.
When my number was finally called, I was given yet another number. From here on, it was all downhill.
I had to wait nearly 3 hours to see the doctor. 3 hours with a waiting room full of ill-behaved children was enough to bring back my headache. When I finally saw the doctor, I was perhaps, more sick than when I left the house that morning. After getting a precription, I had to go to the pharmancy and guess what? Get another queue number. Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long. But the doctor had also given me medical leave, which meant that I once again had to return to the chaotic waiting room to get ANOTHER queue number to collect my medical leave.
I was ready to pull my hair out at this point in time.
It has been two days and I'm not any better. But if you think I'm going to go back to that labyrinth of rooms and queue numbers, I think it's time You saw a doctor.
