Yesterday was a terrible day. I can say that honestly. I didn't make it to work thanks to what I thought was some suspect takeaway last night. After hurting/sleeping and other things aren't really polite to mention for a while I decided to take a shower.
Well, I dropped the soap in the shower and then it all went downhill from there (you can stop the snickering right now...). In picking up the soap I turned off the cold water by accident (with a bum cheek - it is a small shower) and well, the water here is HOT. I couldn't get back around to turn off the water and was already being burnt so I lept out of the shower.
An object in motion remains in motion and all that, so I my legs went out from under me and I slid across the floor before crashing into the bathtub. I put a hole in the bathtub and few gashes in my leg!
I couldn't sit and cry though (trust me I was crying) because boiling hot water was still gushing out. I somehow (with the use of a makeup remover bottle) managed to get the water off and mopped up.
Then I cried some more. Casey (who was actually on his way home for lunch) was able to help me clean up my leg.
I decided to go to Doha Clinic anyway - just to be sure. The stomach issue has actually been plaguing me for a week now anway and since I had a bleeding leg might as well kill two birds with one stone.
We missed the Outpatient Section of Doha Clinic (this is what we would call the actual clinic part), we came in a road above so we didn't see it. So even though I requested general medicine, family medicine, etc it was all lost in translation and nobody directed me to the other clinic.
Which means that I first paid 175 QR to see an Internal Medicine & Neurology doctor. Okay. Yikes. I think he was as baffled as I was as to why exactly I was there. In summary, my leg is fine (I knew that). I probably just have the stomach flu but in case of a parasite from either Doha water (the pipes aren't so good) or Thailand I have something to "sterlize" my intestine (sounds scary but I am taking it). Also, for another 650 QR (thank you to GMCI insurance for screwing up my health cards so I had to pay for all of this myself and hope for reimbursement) my iron levels are being tested (typical for celiacs) and my stool (gross) is being checked for parasites. Nice. I go back in a week.
My first foray into medical servies in Qatar was confusing. Both Hamad Hospital (public) and Al Ali (private & spelling might not be right) only had clinics open until three and no appointments available anyway. That left me with the also private hospital of Doha Clinic.
I am told the facilities and services are fantastic - especially those provided by Hamad Medical Corporation. Accessing information on where to go and what to do - is not so fantastic. There weren't a lot of options and I was forced to chose Doha Clinic because my co-workers have been there. They need a Healthlink type of service here.
awww Jennnnnnnnnnnnnn this is so sad!! I am sending you lots of Hugs. i saw your FB status yesterday but your post really sinks your story in. I hope you're ok...... xoxoxox
ReplyDeleteyou are probably one of the few people who drink water directly from the pipes in doha. even though the water that comes from KAHRAMA(the water department or whatever they call it) is potable water, it is not recommended to drink it, you can use it for cooking but not for drinking. Thats what the guy told me when i went to their facilities a few years ago with my high school on a field trip. You should either get a filter or buy the blue purified water cans.
ReplyDeleteHospitals are not so great here, but hamad is a good one except that its crowded, i like Al Ahli, people are friendly there. doha clinic naaaa dont really like it and alot of people also complain about it, and another thing, it is controlled by some group of people, anyway glad you are fine and nothing serious happened to you, i have hit my back by the water tap a couple of times before as i was getting up after picking up the soap, it really hurts, but probably not as much as hot water.