Sorry it's been a while since I last posted, I haven’t had the best first few days in Hong Kong. I fell ill on the night we arrived and was rushed to hospital. My legs became very swollen and I had trouble breathing. The doctor at the hospital decided to keep me in to conduct tests and record my progress. The main concern was that I had DVT (deep vein thrombosis) due to the excessive amount of traveling and long-hall flights. Everyone was really nice at the hospital, and majority of the doctors and nurses spoke a very good level of English. It was very daunting being in hospital in a foreign country, I was the only Caucasian on my ward, and probably in the entire hospital!
The doctors and nurses were very thorough; they x rayed my chest and my leg, conducted two ultra sounds, and took a lot of blood! The nurses were really lovely, and chatted to me while checking my blood pressure an heart rate on many occasions, throughout the day. The hospital was very clean and the food was also not too bad! It was all very healthy, with a balance of steamed vegetables, rice, and a meat dish with every meal.
After the third day, I began feeling quite depressed and found it difficult to be at the hospital. Visiting hours we just two hour a day, and Jack couldn’t make it a lot of the time, due to the training he had to attend. I felt quite alone and fed up, not having anything productive to do, and any one to talk to. The room I was in was shared with seven other patients, many of them elderly ladies. The lady on the bed opposite mine, was moaning all morning, and sounded like she was in a lot of pain. I remember being woken up by her screaming in the afternoon, only to find at the foot of my bed, her whole family, crowded around. The sound of her screams were so unbearable, all I wanted to do was leave the room, although I felt I was trapped as her family blocked the doorway. All of a sudden, the screams stopped and there was silence. The family stood with their heads to the ground. It was an horrific sight and a must have been an awful ordeal for the family. I found a gap in the crowd and crept out of the room, to give the family some space. I had never experienced anyone die in front of me before, I felt like I was in a very awkward situation, not being familiar with their culture and language, and not knowing how to react. This made me feel even more alone, all I wanted to do was walk out of the hospital.
The next day, I was feeling a lot better, and to my relief, I was given the all clear and was aloud to leave the hospital. I was so relieved, and couldn’t wait to catch up with all the other teachers, begin my training, and settle into my lovely new apartment. Being in hospital made me realise just how fortunate I am to be young, and somewhat, healthy. I was also very lucky to have been looked after so well, and have doctors and nurses that I could also communicate with and rely on. The hospital was the last place I expect to spend my first few days in a new country, but it just goes to show, you never know what life can throw at you at the best of times.
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