No syphilis here, I'm normal!

Besides the regular paperwork one has to fill out to get a work permit in Thailand, one also has to have a 'medical exam.'  So this afternoon I took myself to the nearest hospital with a little note written in Thai saying that I needed a work permit exam (including a syphilis test).  Why you have to be tested for syphilis, I don't know, but I was not looking forward to it because it requires a blood sample and I absolutely hate needles of any kind ... we just aren't friends and never will be.

I get to the hospital and am passed from one person to the next (I saw at least 5 or 6 different people). For the 'medical exam' they take my height, weight, and blood pressure, and that was it! Super easy, but then I had to have blood drawn  :P

I was lead into a small examination room that looked like it's sole purpose was to take blood samples.  Directly in front of me was a small pillow on  a desk.  This small pillow was covered with a pillow case that had small blood stains on it ... not what I wanted to see before I and blood taken.  I glanced to my right to see little plastic drawers with labels on them saying things like "syringe" ... also, not what I wanted to see.  I ended up just staring at my lap until a tiny and very cheery Thai man came in to suck a small vial of life out of me.  

Thankfully his English was quite good ... his cheeriness put me at ease, but I still was not ready.  I told him such as he began to prep and I put my head down on the desk so I wouldn't see anything.  He was such a dear soul!  He was doing his very best to be quick about it and distract me from the fact that he was poking and drawing blood from my arm.  Still, I was on the verge of passing out and told him so multiple times, and I actually did for a few seconds.  He was somehow able to help me out of the chair and onto the examination table so I could lay down out until the room stopped spinning and disappearing from view (how this happened, I'm not sure as he was almost half my size and I had very little control of my body).  He continued his cheerful chatter until I felt like I could walk out into the waiting room.  I am such my father's daughter!

I paid for the syphilis test, then waited 30-45 minutes for the results.  A nurse came over with a slip of paper and told me I was normal! Hallelujah, I don't have syphilis!  I was really concerned that I had it (NOT!) ... at least I now know I don't have it and am that much closer to getting my work permit!

Just down the street from the hospital is a Tesco Lotus with a Dairy Queen inside it.  Feeling the need for a little treat after what I'd gone through, I stopped by, but the ice cream machine was broken and they didn't have any ice cream! How is that possible?!? Oh wait, I'm in Thailand ... nevermind. I had to resort to the McDonald's next door to get my fix (and I must say, McD's ice cream was cheaper than I expected it to be).

All in all, a successful afternoon.  Did I mention that this trip to the hospital and tests cost me less than $15 USD? Too bad I didn't have ACL repair surgery here as it might have cost less! (Though I'm still glad I did it in Grand Rapids.)

Still nursing my pinpricked arm, 

Hannah