My Saturday at the Polyclinic.

I know. It sounds like the kind of title your teacher made you write compositions about when you were in primary four, except for the one little detail. Polyclinics are seldom associated with relaxing gambols, sumptuous food, lazy hours passed in ennui and finally sheer teeth clenching boredom, until someone decides, "Enough of this crap, its time to go home".

My Saturday morning at Woodlands Polyclinic had all these elements and more. The reason for the occasion - Hanan, my six year old had been nursing a bad cold, and was beginning to sound like a 50 year old with a 20-a-day habit. It was time to get the throat checked out.

We got there at 9:30. The flashing LED board said "Waiting time for walk-ins, approx 2hrs 15 mins". Fool that I was, I didn't beleive them.

After waiting 30 mins to get the freakin' room number, my son and I decided to go across the street to Teh Tarik Eating House to get a milo dinosaur and a prata. We took our time eating, but we were done by 10:30. (six year olds don't laze as well as adults, I reckon. He was raring to go).

From 10:30 to 11:30, we did the following:-
- played in the playground (15 mins)
- used the bathroom (5 mins)
- read a short book (5 mins)
- read a longer book (5.5 mins)
- Played a few rounds of UNO (10 Mins)
- held each other and rocked (35 mins)

Its really, really hard to kill an hour at the polyclinic. I am told war is like that too. Long periods of boredom followed by short bursts of excitement.

Finally, it happened. No 2308. Time check 11:30.

Time check 11:35. We are downstairs at the pharmacy waiting for medication, which took another 30 mins.

Somewhere in that 5 mins, we entered a room, exchanged pleasantries with Dr Premdevi, got Hanan examined, diagnosed with swollen tonsils and got prescribed medication. It all happened so quickly, I did not even register it. 2 hour wait for a 2 min examination - am I the only one who thinks there is something wrong with this picture?

Oh, and to end this entry in true Pri 4 compo mode - we went home, tired but happy.

All the more reason I will ask for good health above wealth or riches. 2 hours to get healed just ain't right.