When I was home in the good 'ol Mitten state for the holidays, I developed bronchitis that lasted about 2 weeks in January. I now have it again. My 6Foot4 and I decided to just get me an antibiotic last week, because that worked so well to clear it in January. Well, long story short, after 6 days using 'Amoxicillin' my coughing was worse, probably because I wasn't resting properly. (I just started learning Chinese intensively, every morning from 8-12, but that story and experience I'll be sharing at another time!)
So, yesterday I called my 6Foot4 during a busy afternoon of work for him, and told him I think I need to go get checked out by a doctor... make sure this isn't turning into pneumonia, and get proper treatment. He immediately, like a good hubby does, asked a few Chinese colleagues where we should go (This was our first hospital experience in Wuxi). 6Foot4's colleague recommended this hospital for us, due to their experience with foreigners, English-speaking nurses, and in her words "this is where you'll get the best care in Wuxi".
We arrived at the hospital's VIP floor, with 6Foot4's colleague in tow, and there was no one in this area but a front desk/receptionist and nurse. Once the doctor arrived, we went into a clinic room and were asked a lot of questions... Symptoms, medicine, etc, etc. The doctor was Chinese. She wanted to see a blood sample after listening to my lungs. She decided not to do a chest X-ray, because I wasn't wheezing. We were escorted by the English-speaking nurse, to get a blood sample with a single finger prick. Then, we walked back to the VIP area, where the doctor read the results of the blood sample. Everything looked good, other than high White Blood count (due to fighting infection).
My final results were:
1. bronchitis, or 'upper respiratory infection', treated with a new antibiotic, expectorant, bronchiole relaxer, and cough syrup (all paid for and picked up right at the hospital - we were walked there by an assistant who took my prescriptions and got it for us while we we waited in seats for 5 min)
2. 500rmb or about $80 for everything
3. 1.5 hours total
4. One happy Mitsy Mitten and her 6Foot4, recommending this hospital to any foreign expat. ;)
Thank you to all of you helping me and giving me advice when I was sick last week and this week! ;) and a special shout out to Elle Lay for picking up produce for me today, and dropping it by on her way home, with two kids ready for lunch. I appreciate every bit.
Talk to ya soon,
Mitsy
This hospital is:
Wuxi #1 Peoples Hospital, aka "Wuxi RenMin (Peoples) Yi Yuan (hospital)"
Contact information:
Wuxi No. 1 People's Hospital
Tel: 0510-82700775 Add: 299 Qingyang Rd.
Nanchang Dist.
清扬路299号
