My experience at a Chinese hospital

A few weeks ago, I had a kidney stone and I was trying to tough it out because I despise Chinese hospitals, but the pain was too severe. So with the help of my husband, I hobbled into the campus hospital. I couldn't stand, let alone walk, and I was crying on the floor. My husband was incensed that we were in a hospital and here I am with a severe medical problem and no one was helping me. The doctor told me that my problem was too severe for them to handle and I needed to go to the emergency room at the big hospital to get help. He sent us on our way; he told us to walk there. In the US, you would have an ambulance take you, but I realized that I've never seen an ambulance in China. We were really fortunate that a taxi pulled up as we were exiting the hospital and it took us to the bigger hospital.

And now begins the endless cycle of waiting in lines and trying to decipher all the papers we were being given. After waiting in three different lines, we finally see the doctor. I manage to explain in my limited Chinese vocabulary what my problem is. She sends me to get a blood and urine test, which I have to wait in line to pay for, wait in line to do, and wait in line to receive the results. Oh, and the way you do your urine test is to pee into an open cup, then carry it back to the counter. Good luck not getting bumped into! All this time we are running around from line to line and I am doubled over in pain hanging onto my husband for support. Once she sees my results, she tells me I have a kidney stone and gives me more papers in Chinese that I don't know what they say.

My tactic is to show my papers to random people, preferably people with some sort of uniform, but really anyone will do. I am directed to a small room labeled, "Therapy Room". When I am next in line, I hand him my paper and the doctor pulls out the biggest needle I have ever seen in my life. The needle itself was at least a millimeter thick and several inches long. Despite my fear of needles, I told myself, "Everything is going to be OK, nothing is worse than the pain I am in right now." Thankfully, that needle was only used to transfer some liquid from one jar to another. Then in English, he tells my husband to close the door. I am a little confused because everyone else had the door open, then he tells me to pull down my pants. Had I not done this before, I would have been very shocked, but I knew what was happening. For some reason, Chinese doctors really like to administer a giant shot to the butt for pain - I think it's morphine or something. Whatever it is, it really did the trick.

After the butt shot, I was standing tall and walking around. I felt on top of the world! I was ready to wait in lines for four more hours!

After that, more lines and more lines, and eventually I got an IV, another thing Chinese doctors love, and finally I went home with my husband's pockets bulging with more IV bags and medicine. From 8 am to 3pm at the hospital, a day well spent! I also missed my first day of classes.