Going to the Doctor Overseas

I haven't been feeling well this week. Started with body pains and now I practically feel like I have the flu. So, I broke down and decided to go to the doctor today. Luckily, one of the secretaries also needed to go, so we headed over to Daewoo Hospital together. You don't find "general practicioners" around here - you just go to the hospital when you are sick. I only put this post on here for one reason - to gross you out, so don't look below if you don't want to see it. :)

I saw the doctor and told him my symptoms and based on my internet research, I was a little scared about a kidney infection. He also thought I might be pregnant, so he suggested a test for that. The secretary and I start laughing because another secretary just found out she is pregnant, so we were saying "no way" and I said "I can't be!". The doctor then proceeds to ask if I am married. I ask YoonJoo (who is with me) "what did he say?", because his English was not so great and YoonJoo says "he asked if you are ready?". And I'm thinking ready for what??? Is he about to pull my pants down or something?? Finally, I repeated "Am I married?" he nods. I say "yes". He must've thought I was a Russian hooker in town and was scared that I was pregnant and probably didn't know the father. It was a rather odd question to me, but then again, I'm in Korea.
I left this doctor to go upstairs to provide a urine sample. I walk in the door of the small, non-ventilated room and what do I see (and smell). Yes, folks, it's the urine samples. But they don't do it like the USA. Here is the first thing I see right when I walk in the room. Luckily people were speaking loudly enough that you couldn't hear the camera click sound that my cell phone made when I took this picture.

Anyone want some lemonade??? or orange juice????
The secretary and I are DYING LAUGHING. How disgusting!! And she's even Korean. The gentlemen prints out my barcode with information, sticks it on the side of a small dixie cup and then DRAWS a line with a ball point pen to show me how much he needs. HA!!!!!!! I then walk down the hall, around the corner to the women's restroom to provide my sample. I fill 'er up and then walk back down the hallway past everyone while holding my pee in a dixie cup. Good thing I didn't get thirsty and forget what I was carrying.

So, I went back later this afternoon to receive my diagnosis. He pulls up the computer screen to something that shows "pregnancy test = negative". My secretary and I clap and let a sigh of relief -- which must have been very traumatic for the doctor, who then asked "What were you doing to do if it was positive?" I then felt bad and said I wouldn't "do" anything, but I just wasn't planning on having a baby in Korea.

That's about all of my story, I thought it was funny. Disgusting urine samples and a doctor who thought I had no baby-daddy and would've gotten rid of it. No kids yet, but did get some antibiotics. Hopefully no trips anytime soon to the urine culture lab!!!!! Makes you almost appreciate the extremely long waits at the US doctor's office.