seeing doctor for the first time

in my 4 years plus in auckland, i have refused to see a doctor. previous experience in aussie tells me the doc will normally tell you to rest, drink more water. so i have self-medicate myself in the four years i am in auckland. thankfully enough, i just normally get cold.

but recently, i been sick with cold again, and my cough must have irritate the people in the house. i was forced to see a doctor. of coz i refused from day 1 when i got sick.

so today i didn't go to work and decided to go see a doctor. since i want to be well before my travel and also to find out what is happening to my foot. i have small lump on my foot (maybe from wearing bad footwear or from badminton). it's that lump that worries me.

little did i know it's so stressful to see a doc in auckland. partly because i am so paranoid and don't really trust doctors. funny how back home, any doc will do for me(i mean i am comfortable with several docs back home) but here..it was like a real huge decision. somehow, i prefer a female doctor, and i spent so much time checking out the practice's website. i tried ringing two practices, but they all don't have any place for me today. and one other website, the doctor i want to see no longer works for that practice.. finally i remembered my ex-colleague recommended me to a doctor at this particular practice near my house. and when i rang them, the receptionist said, patients don't need to make appointments. just turn up and wait (ala Sibu style)

so i went to the practice. the receptionist (male) asked if i have came here before.
was told to fill a form with basic details then sat down and wait. this medical centre only has AUTO magazine...didn't even have one woman's weekly or woman's day or those 'kaypoh' magazine. so i had to make do with AUTO magazine, reading about reviews of honda jazz sport and mazda 2 and some other automobiles.

a nurse then call me and i tot she was the doctor. she led me to the area to take my weight , height etc... i know i put on some weight, but still within the approved BMI and i wore jeans, so they must weigh more:P (excuses) and btw, i am like 0.2cm shorter...she took my blood pressure also. i think i am a bit on the high side. it was higher than 3 months ago when i donated blood..anyway, sat and waited for the doctor ..

5 mins later, she finally came out and invited me to her office. then just asked me some question.since it's viral infection (WHAT ELSE IS NEW?), she said she would give me some cough syrup to suppress my cough. she checked out my lump on the foot and said, there's nothing to be worried about at this stage. do i listen to her here? but at least i felt better when she said it's nothing to be worried about. i asked her what cause it, she said it's like a cyst? !!!!!!!????she advised me to keep observing it, it's gone redder or bigger, will need to come back and do something about it.

so i went to the pharmacy next door and the petite pharmcist got me my cough syrup and recommended me lemsip defence lozenges. according to her, that particular lemsip has vitamin c, echinacea and eucalyptus in it, it's really good to boost my immune system. it's unavailable in the supermarket so i got a box. i am such a sucker ...

when i went to supermarket to get milk, i went to the toiletry row and saw heaps of lemsip on the shelves:P i was like !?!?!?!?!?! but she's right. the ones she recommended me is unavailable.

on an even more extreme measure, i went to a health shop to get propolis extract. my mom has been promoting over the phone to take propolis extract. she said that it cured my dad's cough condition. 10 drops or something like that. i bought a bottle of super strength one. who knows if it really works.

i will have so many things to take and my immune system should boost up by next week. i can already feel myself feeling better after going through all these troubles.

p/s: this has got to be my longest post ever...