When do I go to a doctor? Do I take advantage of this? Should the common cold have me ending up in a waiting room?
Most of you know me, I am weak, tiny and almost alway sick with something. So it was no shock to me when November came along, the cold weather started showing up more frequently, and I was constantly sneezing, coughing and having trouble swallowing.
Why would I go to a doctor? I am used to the constant echoes of "bless you" running through my ears. But as the days go colder and hotter, with the temperature dropping and rising at a sudden moment, I gave in.
Sure, I'll go to a doctor! It's free, and I can call for an appointment literally moments before I show up. That sounds amazing! And nothing like America.
I wake up at 9 am, dial *3833 on my Israel Phone, and am instantly connected to a call center. I give my medical number, and within seconds they know I am Rebecca Treister, volunteering in Israel and that I will be here for 5 months.
They ask where I am living. WHAT? How is this possible? The call center treats all of Israel?!
By 11 am, the same day, I was already walking to the doctors office.
After I walked up 3 flights of stairs (okay, I took an elevator), I saw a huge waiting room. I had to use the heberw I know to say "I don't remember the name of the doctor I am meeting with." And after 10 minutes of speaking shaking hebrew, they finally understood me and sent me to sit by door 6.
At first I tried to open it, but no, it was locked. I saw the list, all in hebrew, and one single name in english. Treister. 11:25. Okay, its 11:20, I should be going right in...
No. I was wrong. Around 11:45 I began to wonder. I tried to open the door again, thinking maybe it lead to another waiting room and I was just to weak to figure that out the first time, but it didn't. Finally, the door opened, and a women walked out, and just as quickly as she walked out, another had walked in and shut the door.
What? Had she had an appointment? What was going on?
Seeing the look on my face the ladies started to explain that the doctor was always running late, and was only seeing her 10:45 appointment.
So maybe this was a lot like America? Waiting 3 hours for a doctor to see me? Sounds familiar.
By 12:30 I saw that door open, and ran in. Not really knowing if it was my turn or not, but it seemed to work.
My doctor was a Russian women, who barely spoke any english. After 5 minutes of basically doing nothing, she told me I had the common cold, and told me I could leave. Seriously?
Now almost 3 weeks later and I'm still coughing up a lung, barely able to swallow, and shivering in my sleep... Will see how long it lasts before I have to return to the "doctor" again, but for one thing, Nir is absolutely coming with me next time.
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