FEBRUARY 8, 2007
I think I mentioned previously the health clinic and the very thorough exam. Well, what I DIDN'T mention is that the report came back with something suspect detected on my liver during the ultra sound. I knew that something was up while I was having the ultra sound. The technician (an older Chinese lady) kept clucking her tongue, and saying "hmmm." She rolled me over several times, first on my back, then on my side, then on my stomach, all the while muttering in Chinese. I have to say she was quite tenacious. I thought she would put that rolling devise right through my ribs, but she saw SOMETHING, and was determined to get a good look at it!
Of course, when I got the report I was dismayed. Here I am on the other side of the world nowhere near any medical attention with which I am familiar. I had half a notion to jump on a plane. I talked to Randy and then we spoke to the relocation folks. We'd had a tour of the expat hospital during our first tour with the relocation gals, and it seemed like a nice place with a lot of other expats visiting, so what the heck. Cecile, one of the relocation specialists, recommended that I call and get an appointment (and the report from the government also recommended a follow up with a physician) so I called. After getting the "press 1 for Chinese, 2 for English, etc" recording, I finally spoke with a very nice Chinese man who spoke reasonable English. I explained my situation, and he took my information and said that someone would call me back with an appointment time. I waited a week ... no call.
Spoke to Cecile again who recommended that I ask for an appointment with a specific doctor. Together we perused the list of doctors (along with photos) and decided upon an Internist who happened to be American. She strongly recommended I see an American simply because she felt I would feel more comfortable talking to someone from "home." She was right.
So I called again and made an appointment with Dr. Masatraif (don't know if I have the spelling there). Don't let the name fool you ... born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI, still has family there and in Ypsilanti. Very nice man. He took all my medical info, did a cursory physical, and palpated the liver area which seemed OK to him, but "just to be safe, let's do our OWN ultra sound." He said he didn't exactly trust the Chinese goverment doctors so .......
After a blood draw to check liver function, I went to the ultra sound room. A very nice Chinese lady did another ultra sound. Much better than any other ultra sound I've ever had before (which was during pregnancy and required a full bladder .... UGH!!). Yep, something's there all right. A few cysts which are normally nothing to worry about, and .... hmmmm, what this? A large mass of some kind in the upper liver, fairly large. OK, don't worry (yeah, right!!). Let me talk to the doctors. So back to the examination room.
Doc says yes (of course), something's there. Let's do a CT scan to see what's going on. By now, I'm freaking out a little. I never been a big drinker, and don't take many meds, but you might know ... something's wrong with MY liver, of course. The good news was that the blood check came back with good liver function.
So my next visitor to the exam room was a nice Chinese man who needed my assurance that we could PAY for a CT scan which is around 10,300 RMB (8 RMB to a US dollar). So I took the nice man out to Randy who told him that we'd be putting it on a credit card. In China, everyone MUST pay for medical services rendered up front. None of this "bill me later" or "talk to my insurance company." You must pay immediately.
Next we go to the radiology area for the scan. First drink 3 glasses of water (oh, dear ... here we go again). Then remove all clothes from the waist down. OK, did that. Lay down on the machine where an IV is put into my arm to start an iodine solution drip so that they can see what's going on in there. So the IV is in place and they ask me to keep my arms above my head while the scan is being performed. "Oh, by the way, are you pregnant?" "No, no chance." "Are you positive?ANY chance?" "Not a snowball's chance in hell. That possibility went away a few years ago." "Really, are you sure it's not possible?" "Trust me ... it would be a miracle of God!!" OK, finally convinced them of that!! And away we go.
Next thing I know, they come running back to me. "MUST remove BRA!!!" This is quite a process, since I am still wearing my sweater over my bra and have an IV in my arm. Finally, it's decided I can simply undo it, and lay it next to me under my arm that has the IV in (otherwise, it's restart the IV, and I'm NOT up for that!). OK, NOW we go .... oops!! What's going on??? Something spraying all over my face, arm, sweater, and body. Seems something has come off the IV and is spraying this sticky solution all over me and the scanning machine. They run out, fuss with the IV, wipe me down as best they can, and we'll try this AGAIN!!! Finally, the scan is accomplished .... thank the good Lord!!
The radiologist says that we're done, and I shouldn't worry. It didn't look too bad to him which is a bit of a relief. At that point, I'm simply glad to have the procedure over!! I am told that results will be back in two hours. Please go have lunch and return for results. Randy, bless his heart, has been a very patient SAINT while waiting for me all this time. I was SO relieved to have him with me because I probably would have been a basket case.
So home for lunch (and wash sticky stuff from my arms, face, neck, and hair), where I foolishly considered a strong drink ... but no, that didn't seem wise considering my liver might be puking out on me. Then back to clinic again.
Doctor says my tumor is a large benign hemangeoma (again, my spelling may be WAY off there) which is a mass comprised of blood vessels that I, in all likelihood, have had all my life. Doesn't affect liver function. The cysts (numbering 3) are also of no concern and will go away on their own. He says that I'm perfectly healthy (well, physically, anyway) and don't change a thing. Whew!!! Big sigh of relief!!! Paid the bill (don't ask ... exam, ultra sound, CT scan, radiologist ... VERY expensive), and we were on our way. Randy's treating me to a nice dinner tonight ... and I AM going for the drink!!
Of course, when I got the report I was dismayed. Here I am on the other side of the world nowhere near any medical attention with which I am familiar. I had half a notion to jump on a plane. I talked to Randy and then we spoke to the relocation folks. We'd had a tour of the expat hospital during our first tour with the relocation gals, and it seemed like a nice place with a lot of other expats visiting, so what the heck. Cecile, one of the relocation specialists, recommended that I call and get an appointment (and the report from the government also recommended a follow up with a physician) so I called. After getting the "press 1 for Chinese, 2 for English, etc" recording, I finally spoke with a very nice Chinese man who spoke reasonable English. I explained my situation, and he took my information and said that someone would call me back with an appointment time. I waited a week ... no call.
Spoke to Cecile again who recommended that I ask for an appointment with a specific doctor. Together we perused the list of doctors (along with photos) and decided upon an Internist who happened to be American. She strongly recommended I see an American simply because she felt I would feel more comfortable talking to someone from "home." She was right.
So I called again and made an appointment with Dr. Masatraif (don't know if I have the spelling there). Don't let the name fool you ... born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI, still has family there and in Ypsilanti. Very nice man. He took all my medical info, did a cursory physical, and palpated the liver area which seemed OK to him, but "just to be safe, let's do our OWN ultra sound." He said he didn't exactly trust the Chinese goverment doctors so .......
After a blood draw to check liver function, I went to the ultra sound room. A very nice Chinese lady did another ultra sound. Much better than any other ultra sound I've ever had before (which was during pregnancy and required a full bladder .... UGH!!). Yep, something's there all right. A few cysts which are normally nothing to worry about, and .... hmmmm, what this? A large mass of some kind in the upper liver, fairly large. OK, don't worry (yeah, right!!). Let me talk to the doctors. So back to the examination room.
Doc says yes (of course), something's there. Let's do a CT scan to see what's going on. By now, I'm freaking out a little. I never been a big drinker, and don't take many meds, but you might know ... something's wrong with MY liver, of course. The good news was that the blood check came back with good liver function.
So my next visitor to the exam room was a nice Chinese man who needed my assurance that we could PAY for a CT scan which is around 10,300 RMB (8 RMB to a US dollar). So I took the nice man out to Randy who told him that we'd be putting it on a credit card. In China, everyone MUST pay for medical services rendered up front. None of this "bill me later" or "talk to my insurance company." You must pay immediately.
Next we go to the radiology area for the scan. First drink 3 glasses of water (oh, dear ... here we go again). Then remove all clothes from the waist down. OK, did that. Lay down on the machine where an IV is put into my arm to start an iodine solution drip so that they can see what's going on in there. So the IV is in place and they ask me to keep my arms above my head while the scan is being performed. "Oh, by the way, are you pregnant?" "No, no chance." "Are you positive?ANY chance?" "Not a snowball's chance in hell. That possibility went away a few years ago." "Really, are you sure it's not possible?" "Trust me ... it would be a miracle of God!!" OK, finally convinced them of that!! And away we go.
Next thing I know, they come running back to me. "MUST remove BRA!!!" This is quite a process, since I am still wearing my sweater over my bra and have an IV in my arm. Finally, it's decided I can simply undo it, and lay it next to me under my arm that has the IV in (otherwise, it's restart the IV, and I'm NOT up for that!). OK, NOW we go .... oops!! What's going on??? Something spraying all over my face, arm, sweater, and body. Seems something has come off the IV and is spraying this sticky solution all over me and the scanning machine. They run out, fuss with the IV, wipe me down as best they can, and we'll try this AGAIN!!! Finally, the scan is accomplished .... thank the good Lord!!
The radiologist says that we're done, and I shouldn't worry. It didn't look too bad to him which is a bit of a relief. At that point, I'm simply glad to have the procedure over!! I am told that results will be back in two hours. Please go have lunch and return for results. Randy, bless his heart, has been a very patient SAINT while waiting for me all this time. I was SO relieved to have him with me because I probably would have been a basket case.
So home for lunch (and wash sticky stuff from my arms, face, neck, and hair), where I foolishly considered a strong drink ... but no, that didn't seem wise considering my liver might be puking out on me. Then back to clinic again.
Doctor says my tumor is a large benign hemangeoma (again, my spelling may be WAY off there) which is a mass comprised of blood vessels that I, in all likelihood, have had all my life. Doesn't affect liver function. The cysts (numbering 3) are also of no concern and will go away on their own. He says that I'm perfectly healthy (well, physically, anyway) and don't change a thing. Whew!!! Big sigh of relief!!! Paid the bill (don't ask ... exam, ultra sound, CT scan, radiologist ... VERY expensive), and we were on our way. Randy's treating me to a nice dinner tonight ... and I AM going for the drink!!
posted by Roxanne Gillett at
12:20 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home