ambivalence

I’ve always been too lazy to set up the first blog entry until today where I gained momentum and inspiration from a 30 minutes phone conversation which happened today.
I was strike by severe stomachache and queasiness during the midnight until this morning. Food poisoning.
I can’t imagine the clinic on the campus is closed during the weekends and hence, I dialed the ambulance for there was no alternative left for me. I felt excruciating stomachache. The nearest hospital is 5 km away. The pharmacy is closed . I am in Canberra.Maybe people just don't get sick during the weekends.
Here was the conversation over the phone, roughly. It took 30 minutes, look, 30 minutes!

‘Hi, you are calling for the ambulance, how can I help you?
‘I am having severe stomachache and I vomited for 4 times since the midnight until now.’
‘So since the midnight? ‘
‘yes, since the midnight until now’
‘So have you experienced the exact symptoms before this?
‘Yes, which was 3 years ago. I had food poisoning . I’ve been vomiting continuously starting from yesterday until now for 4 times already.’

‘4 times? That’s not too bad for food poisoning’ ,bluntly she replied.
‘urghh….okay. So…’
‘what you had for the last meal and what u had in the morning?
‘Some Korean food , and some yoghurt in the morning right after I vomited.
‘ouhhh , I am not surprised that you are still vomiting until now. That’s the worst food choice you can ever have!’

I was like , =.=o0o, in your face.

‘oh really? I din’t know that.’
‘So have you taken any medicine up until now?’
‘ yes, some electrolyte and some diarrhoea medicine’
‘now look, you are telling me that you are having diarrhoea medicine while u DON’T have diarrhoea?! That sounds a little bit silly but look, if you don’t have diarrhoea ,do not ever take medicine for diarrhoea, understand?’
‘you should have taken some painkillers like panadol or paracetamol to ease your continuing pain.’

I was like ,yes maim, sorry for that. And stop giving me lecture on the phone! I am dying right now.
The conversation continued, as smoothly as before. She sensed no omen that something could have just happened by having this prolonged and dragged conversation.

‘So, is your medicine in tablet?’
‘Yes,,’I replied impatiently .

My pulse fluttered . I felt disgusted and immediately a powerful surge of queasiness flowed from my belly up to my throat. I was trying my best to control the threshold of my throat ,and
‘ hey, I can’t help it but I feel like vomiting now, I will call you back shortly.’
‘No, wait ! Let’s draw a conclusion right now, do you need us to send you an ambulance right now?’

yes ,she said a "NO"


I was like, hey, you finally got the point. And, it’s not too late for you to ask me whether do I need an ambulance before I don’t have the chance to answer

‘urgh,yes I think I need an ambulance.
‘So where are you right now?
‘in the ANU, the sports hall.
‘the what?’
‘the sports hall’
‘the … ??!’
‘sports hall!’
‘now ,look, I can’t hear you. Are you on a mobile? stop walking to and fro. The line isn’t clear.’
‘ok ,the sports hall,it’s near to the union court in ANU .
‘where is the union court? Is that the place near to the bar? (Vivaldi )
‘yes.’
‘So where will you be waiting for the ambulance?’
‘ union court’ (DUH!)

I couldn’t help it but I’ve tried my best to lock my throat and I could literally try the gastric juice.

‘Sorry I really need to vomit now I will call you back immediately once I am done!’
‘No! so do you still need an ambulance?’
‘I think ………yes………….’ ( please let me go!!I need to clear it right now.)
‘so whereabout in union court will you be waiting at? Since the union court is kind of big.’
‘I will be waiting at the bus stop in union court’
‘so what’s the address of the location?’

I felt the intensed urge for me to go to the washroom right now.

‘I don’t know what’s the exact street but there in only one bus stop in the union court.’
‘so which bus stop?’ is it the one near to the bar?’
‘yes, it is the bus stop where the students wait for their bus or car in anu , the only place in the union court.’

‘YES, I KNOW WHAT A BUS STOP IS!’she grunted.
‘so that’s where you will be waiting for us?’
‘yes………………………………................’

‘do you still need an ambulance or u prefer to rest at home because from what I see , you don’t need an ambulance and vomiting 4 times in a day seems to be normal. People usually vomit up to 10 times for food poisoning before they need to be sent to a hospital. So do you insist that you need an ambulance?’

The condition worsened . The next moment I realized was that I was already in the washroom.

‘do I need to pay for calling an ambulance?’
‘yes ,you need. It costs $500 for inspection and additional $300 for sending you to a hospital’
‘ urghh , I think my OSHC can cover this.’
‘well ,I am not sure about what an OSHC can cover. Is that a health/medicare insurance for overseas student?’

Hey ,wth? Well, I forgive her ignorance.

I proceeded the dialogue.
‘I think I don’t need one, I will call you back in an hour or two if the condition deteriorates.’
‘well, I think you’d better rest in bed for the whole day and don’t eat anything AT ALL ,maybe just drink some plain water will do. Eat some toast bread in the night.

‘ok’ I urgently hung up the phone and flooded the toilet.
It felt good to be ,still, alive after the LOOOONG conversation with the nurse and I am not dead yet.
That’s the point I think.

I m fully recovered by now. Don’t worry.
A lesson dedicated for the people.. Reach out your friends with a vehicle and don’t ever call the ambulance if you could.