Glad to get THAT out of the way...

 

So, probably the single most frightening thing about living in China for me was what healthcare options were available.  My goal before moving here was to make it without ever having to go to the doctor or hospital, and then make our regular visits every six months when we return to the states.  Well, with a family of six I know that's unrealistic, but I can hope, right?

 

 

It didn't take long to make that goal null and void...

 

 

After being here for a week and a half I was loading the dishwasher and broke a plate.  A couple pieces of the broken glass (porcelain?) flew into my EYE!  I got the big chunk out but I couldn't get all of it out and was very nervous because -- IT'S MY EYE!  I slept on it hoping it would magically be better in the morning but it was still very red and irritated, so to the ER we went.  After checking in at the front desk the receptionist politely told us that this was the Emergency Room and that the eye doctor wasn't open on weekends (something about glass and eye in the same sentence?).  Haha, my confidence is not real high at this point, I'm ready to hop the next flight stateside :)

 

 

My confidence was restored after getting an American doctor who did all the things that we had "read online" that a doctor should do in this situation :)  All is well.  I still have 20/20 and as far as I can tell, all the glass is gone!

 

 

 

This was the good arm

 

 

And if THAT wasn't traumatic enough, not even two weeks after that I woke up with BOTH of my forearms swollen huge, red, itchy with red lines traveling up my arms.  I'm thinking spider bite or something poisonous.  Off to the ER we go again.  The Chinese doctor didn't think it was a bite - he said "you were inside right? not camping or anything?"  Yeah, but spiders can come into houses duh.  I'm thinking, just give me the antibiotics so I can get rid of this blood poisoning before I die!!  The Chinese are very cautious about prescribing antibiotics and try to avoid it.  So I start tearing up when he tells me he thinks it's an allergic reaction to something because I haven't changed anything - soap, detergent, nothing.  He gave me a couple antihistamines and said call me if it gets worse.  Ugh.  Guess what?  It was better the next day. 

 

Glad to get that out of the way!  The hospitals are fine.  There are a couple that cater to foreigners and practice Western medicine and most employees speak English, so I think we'll be fine - but I'm still hoping we nEveR go back :)