interjection - follow-up at the specialist clinic

Yo, if you have been following on the appendics story, well, I'd figure that I'd like write about today instead of just recapping it later.

Today is exactly 30 days after the surgery. You know something, since a week ago.. there's actually no pain at the appendics area. I'd almost forgotten that I ever went for surgery. But somehow, this morning, well... it came back. Was it because I was nervous about the follow-up visit? I don't know... but the pain.. it's real.

So off I went to the clinic. I was early, and I haven't had lunch... so I went in search of food. Ate two pieces of cake and had a sip of water. It was totally packed with people. I even spied some patients eating at the food-court. Hmm... I totally understand. Hospital food, I'm sorry to say.. it tasted really horrible. But then.. food is totally the least of our concern when we're sick.

Anyways, back to the story. The appointment card says 2.12pm.. so off I go in search of the clinic around 1.50pm. Didn't take long..quite easy to find... so I got a queue number around 1.59pm. Waited for about 20 minutes, and then it was my turn. Hmm.. I thought I went to the wrong room. Was expecting a Dr Shaik ( I saw him before ) but a young looking Chinese lad was there to greet me. Wonder why is it that the hospital has a knack of having different different doctors attending to a patient? Hmmm....

Anyways, he asked how I was. So I said fine but tired. So he said, "That's because you were resting quite a bit after the surgery." Hmm... I think a more plausible reason was... over-stressed by the fact that after two days of starting work, I had to do overtime to meet deadline. So the phrase, "Don't worry.. take as much time as you need to rest" given by the boss.. was taken literally but the consequences.. oh my... I got quite sick last week, where I had this intense headache and slight fever. I think the headache is from staring at the PC and the stress. Now I'm having flu. Better stock up on those vitamins... I need 'em! (Bless me.. I just sneezed!)

So the doctor gave me a clean bill of health, and he further reassured me that yes, I had appendicitis (really.. probably that's supposed to make me feel that it was money well spent?) and no further appointment needed. He printed me a report on the appendix specimen that was sent to the lab. It says smthg like... "..blood found in lumen..2 blocks" Yikes.. who can understand those? But I'm still experiencing pain on the lower right side of the abdomen. Doctor said, "Well.. it's only been one month since the operation. So that's normal." But I forgot to ask... erm... how long should I expect the pain to last and then it should be considered abnormal? So they gave me an open-date appointment, and I said.. ok.. what's an open-date? The nurse who's manning the cashier explained, that it's a term to say that I can go and make other appointment with the doctor within a year and it'll still be valid for subsidy. So I went... ohh.... I see...monetary stuffs.

So yeah.. that's basically it. Back to normal.. and to my mundane life. Thank God for the experience! In my next chapters of the story... (which I hope you're not that bored yet.. but then I don't really have to care, do I?) I'll tell you the little things that I've learnt from this whole thing. So stay tuned! (and remember to take good care of yourself!)