I was down with flu yesterday and had to visit the doctor.It is always a pain to wait for our turn at the clinic.Yesterday was no different.
Removed my slippers and sat on one of the benches in the waiting hall.I could see some ten more patients waiting there.The attender had handed over tokens to them to track the order in which they had come.All were waiting patiently for their turn.Now I understood why they were called 'patients'!
There were children who had come for vaccinations,women who had come for some blood test and a few like me who had gone there with fever and infection.
A doctor's clinic or hospital is one place where people forget their cultural and social differences.It is a place for true unity in diversity.I could see people conversing in at least four different languages there.India being a multi-linguistic country and Bangalore being a cosmopolitan city,this is not an unusual sight.But all the people sitting there were united by a common thread- of sickness and ill-health.People talked to one another about why they had come there.They discussed about illness and medications.Nobody talked of caste or creed.
I was finding it difficult to sit there.My fever was making me feel weak.To divert my mind,I looked around me.I tried to concentrate on the posters on the walls.The waiting area was filled with posters of different kinds.Most of them were explaining about diseases and advertising medications for the same.There were some posters for some medical camps being conducted.One more poster detailing the rules for government medical beneficiaries.
The posters explaining the diseases were the ones which were scary.Most of them explained about symptoms to watch out for.I remembered one of my school friends who used to tell me that any explanation of diseases scared her because even a small resemblance to any of the explained symptoms made her wonder if she was also having the disease.Was I becoming like her? For all the fear she had,this friend went on to become a medical practitioner! Perhaps her fear of diseases ensured that she learnt well about them.
The doctor's attendant called out my token number,bringing me back from my reverie.I dutifully went inside and explained my condition. She was one lady I trusted.At the time of your illness,the only person who matters other than God,is your doctor.She wrote some medications and advised rest for a few days.How many pills for a fever!.I cursed my fate.
Back home,I religiously took all the pills after my dinner.Lo! next morning I was feeling better.Though not as fit as normal,at least I was able to sit up and write this post.Thanks to my Doc.
What are your experiences at a doctor's clinic?Anything interesting?Share it here.
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Day 4 post for Ultimate Blogging Challenge