Of Life
It only takes an afternoon in the A&E at hospital to make my Sunday a terrifying-ly memorable one.
The dearest one had a health scare on Friday night. He was woken up with a sharp abdominal pain which spread right up to his chest and heart. The pain was excruciating that it kept him awake for a good 2 hours.
And what he did on Saturday? He went to play golf!
I was so worried mad when I found out on Saturday evening...... His mum and I were feeling all jittery and wanted to bring him to the hospital for a checkup. But that stubborn person!! He kept insisting that he's okay and there was no big deal.
Sunday afternoon. The more I think about it, the more unsettled and hence insistent I was that he goes see a doctor and find out what's wrong. Today being Sunday and Easter, most of the clinics (other than the 24 hours one) were closed. Since SGH was near his place, we drove there and proceeded to A&E.
The registration process was swift but the waiting time was terrible. People had to wait almost an hour 30 mins to see the doctor! He got called into the triage 20 mins into waiting time. When the nurse heard he had chest pains, he was ushered into the shortest queue to take an x-ray & blood test.
I couldn't go in with him, so I sat outside in the waiting armed with the Sunday Times and my magazine. During the two hour period that he was inside, I squirmed in my seat everytime I hear the registrar announce "Will the relatives of XXX please come to to counter immediately.."
And as I looked around my surroundings, I see many sickly elderly people looking all forlorn and resigned. I even overheard one lamenting about life and wishing she was dead instead. They all looked so sad and lifeless. Ambulances came by and I see people being carried out on stretchers, covered with blood and looking half dead. Car accidents.. Motorbike accidents..
When he eventually came out to the waiting room, I could feel my tears all welling up. I was relieved to see him yet anxious to know the test results.
"How dear, what did the doctor say?"
"He said I'm fine, the pain was probably caused by too much acid in the stomach.."
"Erm.. ok.. how you feeling now?"
"Hiyo dear, stop looking so solemn and sad ok... I am really ok!!"
".... "
When I eventually got a grip of myself, I chided him again for playing golf on Saturday instead of going to the doctor. I was dead sure that the doctor probably nagged at him for that too ...
"Ah! So did the doctor scold you for playing golf on Saturday?"
"Eh no.. he didn't say much.. and he smiled when I told him I played very well on Saturday.."
"Huh?! oh ok.. how about your diet, did you say you need to watch your diet?"
"Eh no leh, he said the taste buds must be satisfied... "
"Wah, what kind of doctor is this?!"
I left the A&E today feeling so thankful that he's well and with the realisation that I love him very very much and I would hate to see anything untoward happen to him.
And when you see how people's lives are hanging by the thread, you can't help but feel grateful that you are still alive and kicking. Life is indeed fragile. You never know when or what or how.
The dearest one had a health scare on Friday night. He was woken up with a sharp abdominal pain which spread right up to his chest and heart. The pain was excruciating that it kept him awake for a good 2 hours.
And what he did on Saturday? He went to play golf!
I was so worried mad when I found out on Saturday evening...... His mum and I were feeling all jittery and wanted to bring him to the hospital for a checkup. But that stubborn person!! He kept insisting that he's okay and there was no big deal.
Sunday afternoon. The more I think about it, the more unsettled and hence insistent I was that he goes see a doctor and find out what's wrong. Today being Sunday and Easter, most of the clinics (other than the 24 hours one) were closed. Since SGH was near his place, we drove there and proceeded to A&E.
The registration process was swift but the waiting time was terrible. People had to wait almost an hour 30 mins to see the doctor! He got called into the triage 20 mins into waiting time. When the nurse heard he had chest pains, he was ushered into the shortest queue to take an x-ray & blood test.
I couldn't go in with him, so I sat outside in the waiting armed with the Sunday Times and my magazine. During the two hour period that he was inside, I squirmed in my seat everytime I hear the registrar announce "Will the relatives of XXX please come to to counter immediately.."
And as I looked around my surroundings, I see many sickly elderly people looking all forlorn and resigned. I even overheard one lamenting about life and wishing she was dead instead. They all looked so sad and lifeless. Ambulances came by and I see people being carried out on stretchers, covered with blood and looking half dead. Car accidents.. Motorbike accidents..
When he eventually came out to the waiting room, I could feel my tears all welling up. I was relieved to see him yet anxious to know the test results.
"How dear, what did the doctor say?"
"He said I'm fine, the pain was probably caused by too much acid in the stomach.."
"Erm.. ok.. how you feeling now?"
"Hiyo dear, stop looking so solemn and sad ok... I am really ok!!"
".... "
When I eventually got a grip of myself, I chided him again for playing golf on Saturday instead of going to the doctor. I was dead sure that the doctor probably nagged at him for that too ...
"Ah! So did the doctor scold you for playing golf on Saturday?"
"Eh no.. he didn't say much.. and he smiled when I told him I played very well on Saturday.."
"Huh?! oh ok.. how about your diet, did you say you need to watch your diet?"
"Eh no leh, he said the taste buds must be satisfied... "
"Wah, what kind of doctor is this?!"
I left the A&E today feeling so thankful that he's well and with the realisation that I love him very very much and I would hate to see anything untoward happen to him.
And when you see how people's lives are hanging by the thread, you can't help but feel grateful that you are still alive and kicking. Life is indeed fragile. You never know when or what or how.
posted by Shazza at Sunday, March 27, 2005
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