It Definitely is Who You Know!

Yesterday after classes (though before school was officially over), my co-teacher went with me to the clinic. I have been feeling overly exhausted all the time recently as well as quite sore. My host told me that I should go to the doctor and that her mother worked there, so to text or call her when I arrived. I don't like doctors, but I did as I was asked.

The teacher and I waited for a while before she stuck her head into the office of two of the doctors. She knew them, so it took a couple of minutes to say hello and all that. Then we were told I needed to go down the hall where a doctor would take my blood to be analyzed. I was then to bring back the report for her to see. However, when we got to the room, the doctor was not there; we would have to wait until the following day!

My co-teacher went and talked with the first doctor who sent us to another building where they also analyze blood. I waited for them to finish with someone else, and then they stuck my finger and took a few small vials of blood. This was supposed to cost 7 lari, but they told me I didn't have to pay! They also said that instead of having to wait around for an hour, they would send the results to my host's mother and if there were anything wrong she could tell my host who could then tell me! I guess patient-doctor confidentiality has no meaning here, at least not for those of us who don't speak Georgian!

But I did get to see another doctor who told me that my blood pressure was low. There didn't seem to be anything else wrong with me, so I should take vitamin C unless something came back in the blood tests. It was interesting that during all of this they never once took my temperature. I wonder if that is something I should have already have done at home. The world may never know.

But, as it seems, my being a foreigner with the mother of my host working in the hospital, I was able to circumvent lines, waiting periods, and minor obstacles such as missing doctors to get what done what I needed. Sometimes it does work for you!