poke, prod
Accomplished quite a bit yesterday. Went to the GP and got a medical exam; I was prepared for a comprehensive physical of the kind that I'd gotten before in the States, including the turn-your-head-and-cough hernia test, but I thankfully got to keep my junk in my pants as all he did was listen to my heart and lungs, feel my abdomen, and then take blood for the HIV test. I also got a hydrocortisone cream for some nasty mozzie bites on my arm. Total cost: S$41.20 (or US$27.25).
Later, I went to another place for a chest X-ray. Had to wait a bit for this one since there were several other people ahead of me in the queue, though not for too long, just enough to start and finish czakbar's Interfictions story "What We Know About the Lost Families of ____ House." Once in the room, the pretty Indian X-ray technician told me to take off my shirt, face the big metal plate, pose in a bizarrely awkward position without raising my shoulders, take a deep breath and hold it. Then she did the clicky thing and we were done. They'll send the film to the GP within three working days, and then the GP will call me to come pick up the completed paperwork. Total cost: S$8.61 (US$5.70).
That's right, I got a chest X-ray for less than six American dollars, no insurance required.
Oh, and neither of these was by appointment; they were both walk-ins. I spent about thirty minutes at the GP's office (mostly because we were yakking about the American health care system), and about an hour at the X-ray place.
Today, my right arm is a bit sore, as if I'd been doing bicep curls last night in my sleep. I'm guessing it was from when the GP took blood yesterday and will go away sometime soon.
Oh, and apropos of nothing in particular, I shaved off the goatee a couple of days ago. Every so often when I grow one, the skin underneath gets incredibly chapped and flaky, and itches like a sonuvabitch. I've tried trimming the hair, drinking lots of water, shampooing it, not shampooing it, and even dousing it in apple cider vinegar*, but nothing has worked. So really, the only thing to do at that point is to shave the hair off and let the skin heal and recover.
Once again, I look like Jason's Younger Brother, which always happens when I go back to smooth shaven mode. It takes some getting used to, that even though this is what my face looks like in its pure form, it doesn't look like me. I will be growing the goat back again in a few weeks, but I'll be JYB until then.
* And let me tell you, that stuff stinks, plus it's directly under your nose. I also seem to retain the smell in my pores for several days afterwards, which is also not pleasant for your loved ones.
Later, I went to another place for a chest X-ray. Had to wait a bit for this one since there were several other people ahead of me in the queue, though not for too long, just enough to start and finish czakbar's Interfictions story "What We Know About the Lost Families of ____ House." Once in the room, the pretty Indian X-ray technician told me to take off my shirt, face the big metal plate, pose in a bizarrely awkward position without raising my shoulders, take a deep breath and hold it. Then she did the clicky thing and we were done. They'll send the film to the GP within three working days, and then the GP will call me to come pick up the completed paperwork. Total cost: S$8.61 (US$5.70).
That's right, I got a chest X-ray for less than six American dollars, no insurance required.
Oh, and neither of these was by appointment; they were both walk-ins. I spent about thirty minutes at the GP's office (mostly because we were yakking about the American health care system), and about an hour at the X-ray place.
Today, my right arm is a bit sore, as if I'd been doing bicep curls last night in my sleep. I'm guessing it was from when the GP took blood yesterday and will go away sometime soon.
Oh, and apropos of nothing in particular, I shaved off the goatee a couple of days ago. Every so often when I grow one, the skin underneath gets incredibly chapped and flaky, and itches like a sonuvabitch. I've tried trimming the hair, drinking lots of water, shampooing it, not shampooing it, and even dousing it in apple cider vinegar*, but nothing has worked. So really, the only thing to do at that point is to shave the hair off and let the skin heal and recover.
Once again, I look like Jason's Younger Brother, which always happens when I go back to smooth shaven mode. It takes some getting used to, that even though this is what my face looks like in its pure form, it doesn't look like me. I will be growing the goat back again in a few weeks, but I'll be JYB until then.
* And let me tell you, that stuff stinks, plus it's directly under your nose. I also seem to retain the smell in my pores for several days afterwards, which is also not pleasant for your loved ones.