Don't let China kill you

Guangzhou Hospital Directory

"All Cunts head to Examination Room, while Fetal Hearts remain in Custody."

Seriously, don't die in China. Unless you don't mind bleeding your way while waiting in lines, people shoving, nurses yelling, people staring at your bloody body, and doctors ditching their work stations...consider yourself lucky, because after all that, you are still alive and bleeding.

The medical system of China is chaotically unorganized. Step into a hospital and you are greeted with unclear signs, poor directions, helpless receptionists, and overworked doctors and nurses. They are pissed, they are impatient, and majority of them don't care if you live or die. Wait, I take that back...if you have the money, then they'd care.

Why?

Do 1 or 2 alive or dead people, out of 1.3 billion, really make much of a difference?

Doctors and nurses are typically overworked, underpaid and constantly dealing with sick, dying, and troublesome patients.

Hospitals (local) don't make money through consultations or giving a shit about you; nor is there medical insurance for the hospitals to get some money elsewhere.

Hospital business derives from medication sales, lab tests and "excess charges".

"Life is cheap, but medication can cost."


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True Story^:

2 years ago, ABC moved to China for a fresh start in life. He grew up and was educated in the US, cannot speak fluent Chinese (nor read or write, unless writing in pin yin pronunciation counts), yet was full of hope to move to China, and live the "American" dream: "anything and everything is possible".

8 months after moving, still jobless and American, China life got to him. He didn't get the job he thought he should; he didn't want to live and work as it would be a sacrifice to what he "was" and "should" be making in the States. He was expecting China to have American standards of living, and he did not adjust. He was angry. He hated it. In order to hide away from his reality, he indulged in drinking at nights, and slept his days away.

One early morning, around 6:25am, I received a disturbing call from him.

ABC: "Hey. What are you up to?"
Me: "Excuse me? It's 6:30, what do you think I'd be doing aside from sleeping?"
ABC: "Oh, sorry to wake you up."
Me: "Ughh hmm. What are you doing up at this hour...wassup..."
ABC: "Umm...*voice starts to crack*...I'm in the hospital and don't know who else is here. I need a friend...I really can't do this anymore. Can you please come over and take care of me?"
Me: "Fuck...what have you gotten yourself into this time..."
ABC: "Please...just come."
Me: "Ughh. I'll be there in 15."

6:45am, arriving local hospital to see ABC waiting outside

Me: "Hun...you ok?
ABC: "Let's go grab breakfast."
Me: "Huh....okayyy. Would you like to tell me what exactly happened?"
ABC: "Uhh...nothing. I smashed my elbow into the glass window coz I was drunk. My roommate took me here and he just left with his girl for some food. Come on, let's go I'm starving."
Me: "Uhhh...right. So, did the nurses or doctors disinfect your wound? Did you need stitches?"
ABC: "Hmm...no. I don't think i needed stitches. I walked into the hospital with a blood soaked towel, screaming and scared as hell. The nurses and doctors were all staring at me as if i was psycho. Someone took me to a room, took a look at it, wrapped the wound with guaze and sent me away...Oh shit, i left my towel inside."
Me: "You must be fucking kidding me (while still staring at his blood stained shirt). No breakfast for us, we're going somewhere else. "

7:05am, at Chen Xin Hospital

ABC: "Dude, seriously do we have to do this?"
Me: "Yes and shut up. I'm not sure what the doctors and nurses at the previous hospital did (or rather not), and it's best if you have it checked out again at a private hospital."
ABC: "Nahh, I'll be fine..."
Me: *rolls eyes*

7:10am, in Consultation Room

Doctor: "Oh dear...what happened?"
ABC: *repeats story*
Doctor: "We need to clean this wound immediately. The wound looks deep, shattered pieces of glass could still be in there, and you'll need stitches."
ABC: "WHAT?"
Doctor: "Nurse, please take him away."

8:05am

Nurse: "Okay, 13 stitches, done. You'll have to stay away from alcohol this week, keep this wound dry, and come back everyday in the coming 3 days so we can wash and disinfect the wound. The stitch may leave scars, but if you take good care of it, it shouldn't be too noticeable."


^Names and locations have been changed in order to protect the privacy of local hospital and dumbasses involved.
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So my angry drunk friend was in pain and bleeding, yet unfortunately noone at the first hospital really cared about it. I suppose it was too early in the morning for them to start their day at work. Or they found my friend disturbing their peace, while screaming and yelling and crying in pain.

Need I say more? Overworked and underpaid people are not happy. Unhappy people don't care whether you are happy or not happy. Life is apparently cheap, unless you have money. But even with money, it doesn't mean you don't bleed. So point of my random rant...just don't let China kill you.

(btw, ABC left China after 6 months of incident.)