What's up, Doc?

Visited the neighbourhood doctor this morning, for the first time, after 507 days. How I know? Because I saw the date of my last visit on my patient record lah!

While waiting for my turn, I eavesdropped overheard a conversation between another waiting patient and the doc's clerk/assistant/receptionist (what do you call these folks who work at the clinic anyway?).

Apparently, this lady patient had some trouble with her eye from the use of contact lenses; lack of proper hygiene, she said. The doc's previous prescription (probably an antibiotic) seemed to have helped and she wanted a refill of it. She thought she could just buy it over the counter without the doc's consultation. Well, unfortunately, the cleck could not oblige as the drug was 'by prescripton only'. The patient was pissed at such a 'rule', claiming that 'as a customer', she's very 'dissatisfied' at the clinic policy to charge patients $30 for 'consultation' each time just to continue a prescription. The conversation ended with the patient telling the clerk off, 'no point talking to you, just register me and let me see the doctor lah'.

If you asked me, 'respect!' to the clerk for being so patient with the patient.

question: are all sick people called 'patients' or only those who are warded in hosiptals? If I go see a neighbourhood clinic doctor, am I a 'Customer'?

Anyway, back to the story. I probably would have said something like 'Sorry lor mam, you cannot suka suka buy any drug you like because you think it is good. If like that, any father mother son and daughter can open shop and play doctor liow. The reason drugs are controlled is because doctors are responsible for what they give you to apply/eat/drink/shaft up your a**. Don't like to pay doctors for consultation? Then learn to take care of youself and don't fall sick lah!' But that's just me... luckily I not doctor...

Oh, did I say why I see doctor? No, not that I am ill. I had to resample my blood for a liver screening test and 顺便 run a Hep B screen since I have not done it. My bilirubin levels were isolatedly high in a previous test and the doc wanted a re-test to confirm. During the course, I mentioned I read that a symptom of elevated bilirubin was jaundice. It must have been my poor pronouciation or something because the doctor's reply was 'Who is Jaundice???'

Errm, doc, I think you should know jaundice better than I. And it's a 'what' not a 'who'.

I guess I will find out soon enough (in 2 days) whether I will get to know 'Miss Jaundice' or not. I know she's yellow-skinned, does she have long hair?