Sick Again

Mumbai, India

RYAN: I had an itchy rash on my arms and yet another stomach bug , and figured that since this was the fourth time I've been sick in the last 2 months it was time to go to the doctor. I'm probably sicker now for going.

The whole time I spoke with the doctor he was taking calls on his cell phone. I offered an exaggerated compliment on how nice his cell phone was during one of the calls, but since he just said thank you I think he missed the point. He sent me down the hall to get blood work, and told me we would talk after it was finished. I laughed.

The lab tech didn't wash his hands and wore no gloves. Then, as he poured my blood into a test tube, he spilled some on himself and just wiped it off with a rag (and didn't wash his hands). There was dried blood on the sheets. The needle was new though...maybe. I saw him unwrap the tube, but I didn't see where he pulled the actual needle from.

Adding to the fun, the blood sample was taken without fasting and they are checking my cholesterol and blood sugar for some reason, which should produce some nicely skewed results.

I returned to my "doctor's" room and there was a new doctor there to examine my rash. I told them I had already tried hydracortozone and antihistamines for the rash and norfloxin for the stomach. Guess what they prescribed? Antihistamines and norfloxin.

I protested a little, asking if I should I have a stool examination because the stomach problem was recurring. They said the blood test would "reveal all". I asked if it would reveal parasites (knowing a stool sample is required and these parasites aren't in your blood, but not saying it) and they said "yes".

Leaving the hospital I seriously considered leaving a stool sample for the doctor in his car, just in case the blood test didn't show anything.