In the past few days, I have faced problems with body where I feel especially weak in the morning with slight headache and some stomach problems(Many in one, I know. lol). The weather around here has started to abruptly change and is accompanied by very cold mornings with icy air, cold enough to dry out your throat in a couple of minutes without water. In the afternoons, the same air is hot but still dry enough to dry out your throat.
My dad believes this is why I’m experiencing on and off morning problems with my body and he says it’ll pass once my body gets used to the weather change. In a way, that makes sense. But I have decided to go to the hospital myself to have myself checked out.
So I took my bath and headed out to catch a cab there. I could take a bike, but my family think I am so weak that I can’t ride. The distance from my house to the hospital is not very far so I got there pretty soon.
I went to the records office to pick up my folder next. Most of the people here just call it the folder room, cos you know, that’s where the folders are kept. The folder is kind of a book holding a history of your visits, what you were treated for and other information about the patient.
Walking towards the records office to pick my folder
I learnt over there that my health insurance card had expired and I needed to renew it to be able to receive medical care. I haven’t been to the hospital for a while. 3-years I think. I told the folder registration guy I would go renew it when I was finished with everything and going to the hospital’s pharmacy for drugs.
Next, I took my folder to the OPD. Here my weight was taken and my blood pressure was recorded in my folder. From folder registration room, we sit in a queue at the OPD waiting to be attended to by nurses in turns.
Waiting at OPD for nurses to check my weight and blood pressure
Once your weight and blood pressure is taken, the folders are compiled by the nurses and sent to the doctor’s office. We sit right outside the doctor’s office, who mention’s the patients name one after the other to come in for consultation.
Waiting outside the doctor’s office to go for consultation
In the doctor’s office is where you tell them your symptoms, they write them down and form a hypothesis of what could be wrong with you. With their hypothesis, they send you to do tests in the laboratory, get back to them with results and then they can prescribe you drugs to take at the hospital’s pharmacy.
I went in, talked with the doctor, and she directed me to the pharmacy straight for some drugs. From the doctors office I went to renew my NHIS card otherwise, the hospital wouldn't give me any drugs at the pharmacy .I didn’t spend up to 2 hours in the hospital today. This has surprised me because last time I was here, we spent close to 4 hours.
sitting in line at the hospital pharmacy to take some drugs
It’s finally my turn to get drugs
I went back on the road to get a cab home and I bought some food on the way. I ate my food and took my medicine. They were syrups actually.
on the road looking for a cab back home
Thank you for reading. Speedy recovery to myself.