Before Jarin left the country for 2 weeks (yes, you have my permission to gasp!), I had a few to-do's on my list that had to be taken care of. Unlike America, there is no 911 number here. There is a 120, 119, and a 110 but you must understand what number is for what need, and pray to God that they speak English. Oh, and if it really is an emergency, count your lucky stars that an ambulance gets to you in time. Here in China, no one moves out of your way, not even if you are an ambulance driver.
Instead, they recommend hailing a cabby.
For anyone who has talked to me in the past month, you'll know how much I hate cabs. As in, I truly despise having to wait... then translate on my phone where I'm going... then put all my trust and courage that God ever gave me into the sheer hope that they are taking me to the right place... then corral the 17 month old from crawling on the floor, licking the seat, opening the door, being killed because she is seatbelt-less (you get the picture). I've been stuck for over 40 minutes with three children, all starving, and one screaming, trying to get a cab to no avail. Today, I happened to read a post from another Shanghai mom who asked if others with strollers get passed up by taxi drivers. Glad to know it's not just me who they have it out for. There may or may not have even been times that I've cussed as we've pounded our feet down the sidewalk, watching taxi-jerks drive right past, while we are sweating our pa-toots off. And the kids have looked at me and questioned, "what'd you just say, mom?" Blatantly, my response was a repeat of, "oh, nothing, I just don't understand why these douche bags don't stop."
So, back to my point: I can only imagine getting a taxi for an emergency. And to think the ambulance is worse....
Awesome.
Gives you a pretty clear outlook of the medical services here, huh? Well, if it's true that I need to be prepared to hail a cab while caring for a child with emergency needs (albeit broken arm, poked out eye, bleeding from [any body part], etc.), then I best know the what's and how's of getting to the hospital.
And so, last Friday, Jarin and I took a field trip. We cabbed it to the closest emergency hospital: Shanghai East. This is what I found...
Sweet. Just where I'd want to go for "intestinal" or "fever disease". Creeped out, I nearly left. I would honestly fly around the world before getting care here.
But, we continued on until we found the main entrance. That's where we experienced every part of favored discrimination.
We were met in the front lobby -- near the Starbucks, none the less, because of course this hospital looks like it would have a multi-billion dollar coffee house embedded in it. We were escorted to elevator #7 (the international elevator), and when it was found to be under repair, they budged us to the front of the line for elevator #5 (the local elevator). Mind you, we were on a tour. There was no medical attention needed for our family. And yet, more than 20 locals were shoved behind to wait for us first.
When we got to the 12th floor, we found Shanghai East International Hospital. A whole new world. Clean, orderly, English-speaking, large and roomy, comfortable, quiet. A private pharmacy and billing lines, acceptance of insurance guarantees, and no hub-bub of what was just a few floors below, staged like an airport:
No, it was nothing like this. Can you believe this is what it really looked like inside?
Talk about an entirely different experience. They even showed us the private maternity rooms with whirlpools and room for the entire family to stay. Jarin was quick to inform our tour guide that those would not be needed for our family. :)
It was a strange serenity of feelings that afternoon. Feeling compelled to never step foot into the hospital again, and then being treated like royalty, humbled by being foreigners, and feeling overwhelmingly pampered by the services that we would receive compared to the locals. I'm sure proud of my heritage, the emphasis that us American's put on healthcare, the safety standards and seriousness that we proclaim in the medical field, and the respect that we hold for all those needing attention.
On that note, the kids' well-checks are still scheduled with our favorite Dr. Halverson during each visit back to the states. But, if anything were to come up, I will know what to do and where to go!
Tonight Cade asked: "Mom, if you were one of those poor people here, would you pee on your hands to wash them?"
My response: "uh, no."
Cade's logical thinking kicks in: "I would if they were really dirty. But then they would probably stink."
Nice, kid, nice.
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