Today you will be reading of my experience visiting a Filipino doctor in a
Filipino Hospital setting . . . What an experience it has been!!
The following pictures were captured on our second day to the doctor.
I have had a cough for a couple of weeks. This past weekend it got to a point where it hurt to cough . . . so Monday morning we headed to a doctor's office downtown Angeles. Now, this is not like going to a doctor's office back home. Sister Martino gave me the name and address of a doctor and we were off.We found the hospital where the doctor's office was located. Wade dropped me off and went to find a place to park the car. The street was lined with tricycles, so he parked a couple of blocks away.
This picture was taken on Tuesday later in the day -
there was actually a place to park right in front.
The front door to the hospital 
The front lobby
I went in and asked for the doctor, went down the hall, made a couple of turns and went in the office. After filling out some papers, I was taken back to talk to the doctor. He smiled after a few minutes and told us he was a surgeon, but his wife (with the same last name) was an internist and that is who we should see.
No appointments, just come between these hours and wait your turn . . .
This one lets you know that the doctor is actually in her office
His nurse took us down the hall to the other office. they asked us to sit in the hall and wait until we were called. After about 15 minutes, we were shown into the 'office'. . . the doctor was sitting at her desk and a folding door was closed behind us.
there was actually a place to park right in front.
The front door to the hospital 
The front lobby
I went in and asked for the doctor, went down the hall, made a couple of turns and went in the office. After filling out some papers, I was taken back to talk to the doctor. He smiled after a few minutes and told us he was a surgeon, but his wife (with the same last name) was an internist and that is who we should see.
No appointments, just come between these hours and wait your turn . . .
This one lets you know that the doctor is actually in her office
His nurse took us down the hall to the other office. they asked us to sit in the hall and wait until we were called. After about 15 minutes, we were shown into the 'office'. . . the doctor was sitting at her desk and a folding door was closed behind us.See the brown folding door through the glass door . . .
She took a short history, took my blood pressure (120/70 yeah!) and told me she wanted to run some blood test, get a urine test, a chest x-ray and and EKG before we left. I asked where to go for the EKG and she pointed to a table in the small office. I was asked to get undressed so that the EKG could be done . . no gown, no privacy . . . weird and this was just the beginning!
Next I was told to go to the lab and to get a chest x-ray and come back on Tuesday for the results of the test in the afternoon.
She took a short history, took my blood pressure (120/70 yeah!) and told me she wanted to run some blood test, get a urine test, a chest x-ray and and EKG before we left. I asked where to go for the EKG and she pointed to a table in the small office. I was asked to get undressed so that the EKG could be done . . no gown, no privacy . . . weird and this was just the beginning!Next I was told to go to the lab and to get a chest x-ray and come back on Tuesday for the results of the test in the afternoon.
The left side is the Lab and the right side is the X-ray
First we went to the lab.
I was given a list of my test and told to go pay for them. When Wade came back, they gave me a coup the size of a fry sauce cup (no lie! wish I had a picture of it!) and I was sent across the hall to do my thing . . . no toilet tissue (there never is here, you carry it with you) and no soap to wash your hands or towels to dry them off
On Tuesday when we went back to the X-ray department Wadenoticed that they did have toilet tissue for one peso . . .
I wonder if you got more than one sheet . . .
I take my sample back to the lady across the hall and wait again.They finally called me back to draw my blood . .
Now I am getting a little nervous, will it be clean and sterile I thought? . . . but they used alcohol to clean the area and a clean, wrapped syringe to draw the blood. then they use the syringe to put it into the vial for the test.Next it is across the hall for a chest x-ray . . . I gave them my name and was ask to sit down and wait my turn. Wade went and paid for the x-ray which is usually about 250 pesos.
Mine was 370 pesos . . . darn white tax!
I was taken into a room and asked to take my bra off . . . at least I was given a gown this time!
Mine was 370 pesos . . . darn white tax!
I was taken into a room and asked to take my bra off . . . at least I was given a gown this time!They use the old type of film to take the x-rays and they are just in a box in the from of this little office.
(Now when I say little office, I am talking about being about as big as a very small kitchen area or large bathroom in a house back home). They had the air conditioning cranked way up and it was cold waiting your turn . . . now this is in a place that doesn't often get below 70 degrees!
They gave us the x-ray, we picked up the results of the lab test and went back to the office.
Tuesday I received a text asking if I had the results of the x-ray. I told them I only had the film. So we had to go back to x-ray, waited again while they had a radiologist read the x-ray. (By the way, they gave me the film to keep.)
Then back to see the doctor and wait again on the benches . . .
only this time most everyone had been seen and gone home.
We met with the doctor again. She is really nice and i felt taken care of . . .
Diagnosis: Pneumonia, both lower lung zones.
She gave me a prescription for some antibiotic to take . . .
this is what you get at the Pharmacy
If you don't keep the prescription from the doctor, you don't have directions on how to take the medications. They are sold by the pill not in a bottle . . . a little strange for us Americans!
This experience reminded me of when I was in nurses training 40+ years ago. I saw machines that we used way back then. I understand that there is a hospital in Manila that is much more modern and more like our hospitals back home . . . for now, I am thankful for my health!
I feel pretty good . . . I just need to rest a little more and not overdo it. I know that the Lord is blessing me to not be right in bed for a couple of weeks . . . there is too much to do to keep the work moving forward here in our mission!
(Now when I say little office, I am talking about being about as big as a very small kitchen area or large bathroom in a house back home). They had the air conditioning cranked way up and it was cold waiting your turn . . . now this is in a place that doesn't often get below 70 degrees!They gave us the x-ray, we picked up the results of the lab test and went back to the office.
Tuesday I received a text asking if I had the results of the x-ray. I told them I only had the film. So we had to go back to x-ray, waited again while they had a radiologist read the x-ray. (By the way, they gave me the film to keep.)
Then back to see the doctor and wait again on the benches . . .
only this time most everyone had been seen and gone home.
We met with the doctor again. She is really nice and i felt taken care of . . .
Diagnosis: Pneumonia, both lower lung zones.She gave me a prescription for some antibiotic to take . . .
this is what you get at the Pharmacy
If you don't keep the prescription from the doctor, you don't have directions on how to take the medications. They are sold by the pill not in a bottle . . . a little strange for us Americans!This experience reminded me of when I was in nurses training 40+ years ago. I saw machines that we used way back then. I understand that there is a hospital in Manila that is much more modern and more like our hospitals back home . . . for now, I am thankful for my health!
I feel pretty good . . . I just need to rest a little more and not overdo it. I know that the Lord is blessing me to not be right in bed for a couple of weeks . . . there is too much to do to keep the work moving forward here in our mission!
Cost of this visit:
Doctor Consult 300 pesos
EKG 300 pesos
Urinalysis 60 pesos
CBC (blood test) 350 pesos
X-ray 370 pesos
2nd Doctor Consult 300 pesos
Medication 200 pesos (20 pesos per pill)
Medication 378 pesos (16.7 pesos per pill)
Total Cost 2258 pesos or $52.00 US
So thankful you were able to get meds and "good" medical care...So sorry that you have pneumonia...yikes!! Take care and know that we are praying for you and Wade (yes, even Wade;))...love ya...
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