Oh! My Leg!

I had a fall...a nasty one. Right in the middle of Bukit Bintang, opposite the spanking new Pavillion. There was a pothole!....on the pedestrian path. Nice to be reminded that we are still in Malaysia despite March 8!

My left feet is swollen around the ankle. The more I walk the bigger the swelling. Splendid. The day after my fall (Tuesday evening), I went to a neighborhood clinic. The good Dr didn't even touch my leg. He didn't even bother to ask me to pull my jeans up. He just said, "lets take an x-ray to eliminate the possibility of a bone fracture". He called a name that sounded like Ina. Ina walked in, whisked me away into another room and snap! snap! it was done. "No fracture. Only a slight tendon tear. I will give you some pain killers and let natural healing take place". With that, the Dr made RM65.00 from me. Even before I lifted my butt off his chair, he rang his bell to signal in the next patient.

Now, forgive me for being nostalgic here...I blame it on the pain, but if I were to be living about 20 years ago in my hometown Rawang and if I had walked into one of the little clinics on Maxwell Street, it would have been a whole different scenario. The Dr would have pressed here and there just to be sure I am really in pain and that I really had a fall and not just fishing for an MC to prolong my Labour day holiday. Then, when the pain is obvious to him, he will immediately put on a kinder face and tell me there and then that it is not a bone fracture. All I need is some rest, some good old massage from my grandma and it will be ok. X-ray? Pooodah...don't waste your money! After that, here is the catch, he will sit back and take a quick glance at my green medical card to remind him something about me or my sister or my grandma or my grandfather; we all go to that same clinic. For everything. He will then ask a few pertinent and personalized question about ME and and with a huge smile, tell me to take my medicines at the 'counter'. I will walk out smiling (remember thats not how I walked in)and look forward to my next fall. After all, its not everyday that somebody as important as DOCTOR remembers something about ME and MY family!

Did somebody mess up med training syllabus? Is there a new Minister in town? Oh yes...its still Malaysia despite March 8. Like so many other services in this country, the medical services have become a faceless industry.

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