It is almost midnight, and tomorrow is my appointment with surgeon, with specific instruction to provide blood sample, wait for result before seeing the doctor.
From experience, it takes an average 2 hours before I can see the doctor, while it took 3 hours before I could give my blood sample! Unless there is special arrangement for cancer patient to jump the queue, and maybe as suggested by a staff nurse, to take my sample myself to the lab and wait for the result, it is mission impossible. Anyway, I shall see how it turns out very early tomorrow morning.
Update:
I was at the Unit Darah just before 7.30am and it was already in operation, Handed in my surgeon's letter together with a note written by myself 'to provide sample, wait for result before seeing doctor'. The nurse at the counter took out the note without saying a word and gave me a number beginning with 2. Ah, I thought to myself, this is how they differentiate cases like myself. Sure enough within 20 minutes, it was my turn and I did not have to wait to collect the sample pack like those with numbers starting with 1. I remember during my last visit, there were over 100 before me and it took 3 hours before my turn, which explains my worry since 3 weeks ago. I had a short chat with the friendly attendant before I was told to take the sample myself to the lab near the Emergencies, which is only a short walk away. After handing over the sample, the nurse at the counter scanned it and confirmed the results will be known online in an hour and that I need not wait there but wait at SOPD for the doctor to see me. It took less than half an hour to provide the blood sample and I was relieved to hand in my appointment card at 8.00 am, knowing full well there is the usual long wait before I can see the doctor. The queue system starts at 9.00 am and we cannot blame the wait before that on them. The only advantage is to get no.1 or near it in the queue. I got no.4 for that particular room, yet I had to wait until 10.30 am. Then the consultation with a busy surgeon who had to deal with request for advice from medical officers as well, followed by prescription and preparation of a special book for me. By the time I waited and got the drugs, it was already 12.30 pm!
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From experience, it takes an average 2 hours before I can see the doctor, while it took 3 hours before I could give my blood sample! Unless there is special arrangement for cancer patient to jump the queue, and maybe as suggested by a staff nurse, to take my sample myself to the lab and wait for the result, it is mission impossible. Anyway, I shall see how it turns out very early tomorrow morning.
Update:
I was at the Unit Darah just before 7.30am and it was already in operation, Handed in my surgeon's letter together with a note written by myself 'to provide sample, wait for result before seeing doctor'. The nurse at the counter took out the note without saying a word and gave me a number beginning with 2. Ah, I thought to myself, this is how they differentiate cases like myself. Sure enough within 20 minutes, it was my turn and I did not have to wait to collect the sample pack like those with numbers starting with 1. I remember during my last visit, there were over 100 before me and it took 3 hours before my turn, which explains my worry since 3 weeks ago. I had a short chat with the friendly attendant before I was told to take the sample myself to the lab near the Emergencies, which is only a short walk away. After handing over the sample, the nurse at the counter scanned it and confirmed the results will be known online in an hour and that I need not wait there but wait at SOPD for the doctor to see me. It took less than half an hour to provide the blood sample and I was relieved to hand in my appointment card at 8.00 am, knowing full well there is the usual long wait before I can see the doctor. The queue system starts at 9.00 am and we cannot blame the wait before that on them. The only advantage is to get no.1 or near it in the queue. I got no.4 for that particular room, yet I had to wait until 10.30 am. Then the consultation with a busy surgeon who had to deal with request for advice from medical officers as well, followed by prescription and preparation of a special book for me. By the time I waited and got the drugs, it was already 12.30 pm!
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