This is our first experience going to the hospital in an emergency situation. I considered it an emergency but our insurance didn't so we had to pay cash up front. After a confusing hunt for the emergency entrance (they are doing construction work at the hospital) we ended up in the parking garage. One friend ran to get a wheelchair. You actually have to leave a deposit for it. That was 400.00 RMB. Then after a few more screams from John as we try to get him in it, we head for the registration office which was closed due to the lunch break. Finally it opened and we ask to see a doctor. We pay another 100.00 RMB. He sees a doctor who decides he needs an xray. Pay first, 128.00 RMB. The technician ask him to straighten his knee. NO! John says. Yes! the technician says and John lets out a few more screams. Back to the doctor who informs us that John has severed his tendon. I think the word "severed" almost made John faint. The good news is that it can be reattached. The bad news is that there may be more damage so an MRI is ordered and John is admitted to the hospital. Now a deposit of 3000.00 RMB is required. I am short on cash now and they wouldn't take my credit card as credit, so our friends all start to check their pockets. The Texan had his rent money so we borrowed part of it to make the deposit.
The hospital is considered one of the nicer ones in this city. Glad to hear that. But they don't spend money on decorations. Plain walls that need painting, beds that need cranking, and moldy tile in bathroom. But the toilet had a neat contraption that allowed a user to have a clean seat to sit on each visit. Plus it was a heated seat! Wahoo! John's room was decent. Not much mold and China clean. I grabbed the broom on our second day and did a little more cleaning. I would have brought in some bleach for the shower but thought they might get offended.
So here is John, not much in pain unless he had to move his leg, in a Chinese hospital waiting for his MRI. One day passes, and surgery has been ordered for Thursday. John is getting antsy because there has been no MRI but surgery day is coming. He isn't good at waiting. They finally do the MRI and it is determined that not just one tendon is severed but 3 have come off. Now we have to come up with more money. Remember, no pay no service. Our dear friend Brigette offers her bank card with enough to cover 30,000 RMB. What would we do with out friends?! Even though, with the extra tendons, the cost will probably be closer to 40,000. So another sweetheart of a friends loans us another 10,000. We are so blessed to have our friends. Of course, if we didn't have insurance to cover this, I might be a little panicky. We were going to be heading back to the US on February 9th so our funds were low. I am so thankful for everyone's assistance here.
After John was admitted we all went home for the night thinking that the nurses on duty would be able to help John get to and from the bathroom. NOT! They never responded to his calls so the little Chinese man in the next bed would jump out of his bed and help John get his leg down off the bed. We got a walker for him to use. After the first night, John was never left alone. He had 24 hour care from our friends. Someone brought a cot so those staying overnight could lie down. The chairs they provide are small and not comfortable. Like a table chair. Lunch was provided everyday, not by the hospital, but by our friends. John didn't want dinner. He thought this was a good time to work on losing weight. And he did! At the hospital, you have to pay for everything. The food, the towels, the bed pan, the water mat that John sat on, the dressings, etc, etc, etc.... I guess it is the same in the USA but it is put on your bill. Some of the things were here, too, others I had to pay first.
Here are a few pictures of the event up to this point...
As we got to the room John was not a happy camper. He was begging for drugs. The nurse asked him what his level of pain was on a scale of 1-10. He said, "20!" She laughed. Drugs were administered and after an hour he was feeling better. Not out of pain but better.
All in all, I would say things were going well.
We didn't expect to be dealing with this before we headed back but our friends have made it bearable. Thank you so much!!
This isn't John's first injury here. Back in September he fell over on a bicycle and scrapped his leg. It got infected and he had issues walking on it. That took about a month to get over and he has a nice scar to share with people. Now he has 2 scars. Did I tell you the final bill on this surgery? Almost 40,000 RMB. The 3 screws and the stitching kit (imported from America) were over half the bill. Incredible. How much is 40,000 RMB? It is $6,400.00 USD. Now that is CHEAP compared to what a US hospital surgery would have cost. I just hope the insurance pays it. We just learned that the insurance is no longer covering new clients in China so I don't know what we will do when it comes time to renew. Oh well...things usually work out.
Thanks for keeping up with us. We look forward to seeing you all if possible when we return.
Love and hug.....Cindy