Sunday, January 11, 2009

And so to hospital ...

What a drama, waited a while; finally got into a 'consulting room' where the doctor or was she a nurse??? was more interested in the Nollywood soap opera in the little room off it than her 3 patients. One girl lying on a bed with a fever (also glued to TV) and a small boy with his mum who didnt look good at all. She asked me if it hurt; I said yes, it stings a little - so that was my consultation -20mins later (of which ten was spent glued to TV) she produced a list of stuff I needed and a bill of 9,400CFA plus a 1,000CFA consultation fee which got laughter all round ... lots of smirks, la blanche was going to pay for everyone or so they thought!

I asked to see the list so I could read it myself (I was meant to go to the pharmacy 2km away to get this stuff too) and found all kinds of serum, vaccinations and a pair of sterile gloves ... I told her to scratch most of it off and start again, got it down to 7,500CFA plus the consultation fee of 1,000CFA. I went out into the corridor to re-join my new friend who'd been waiting patiently and we decided to leave - the list came down to a pair of gloves, betadine to clean the wound and a plaster ... I could do that myself!

However, the hospital receptionist was not letting me get away without paying the consultation fee. I said 'what consultation fee???' I'd had three words said to me 'Ca fait mal?' but no she'd already written out my consultation ticket & had to pay for it. To save an argument I handed over the 1,000CFA and we left laughing!

So a quick trip to the pharmacy I came out only 1,500CFA lighter after advice from the pharmacy staff with a bottle of penicillin powder and the necessary bits and pieces ... my leg was still a mess, but at least it was healing!

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