Treated at a Hong Kong hospital

I spent two weeks in Shenzhen, China, in July ’06 during my husband’s 10-week stay on business. This is a huge city with nothing to brag about. There is a 5-story “copy” mall for those interested in purchasing fakes. I’m not a shopper.

We stayed in the Sheraton Four Points, which had outstanding service. At my request, I received two private cooking lessons with the executive chef as well as the specialty chefs. For each lesson of 1½ hours, the cost was RMB400 (about $50) plus the cost of ingredients — a real bargain. I even wore a chef hat and apron!

I worked out in the fitness center daily. Since the business travelers went to work during the day, I had the center and a personal trainer to myself. I swam as well; the pool was beautiful.

In a clean spa down the street, cheap massages could be had for RMB179 ($22) for 90 minutes, with shuttle service from the hotel.

After a week, I needed something else to do, so I went into Hong Kong for the day. (Remember to get a multiple-entry visa if you want to go back and forth.)

I love the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HK$10, or US$1.30), which is located next to the Star Ferry Building. There are always Chinese exhibits as well as rotating exhibits from elsewhere. The Chinese exhibit was on “Chinese Cultural Treasures with Auspicious Emblems,” and there was a wonderful Etruscan exhibit as well as an exhibit of hair used as art.

After my three hours’ enjoying the four floors of exhibits, I went around the back to my favorite dim sum restaurant, took the Star Ferry to the island and promptly fell off a step on my way to my favorite antique shop, Gorgeous Arts & Crafts on Hollywood Road. That was the only place I knew, so I limped my way there. They were so helpful trying to find ice; they had none, but at least they provided a cold compress and a seat in the air-conditioning.

This next part gets really complicated. In Hong Kong, my cell phone would not work calling China. For some reason, the shop’s phone wouldn’t work to call my husband’s cell in China either. However, the shop was able to call my hotel in Shenzhen.

The English-speaking concierge took down my husband’s cell number and the number of the shop. Within minutes my husband called me in the shop. Because so many of his fellow employees travel internationally, a Medical Referral and Evacuation service was available that covered me, but of course the phone in the shop couldn’t call the number, so my husband had them call me. I was given the name of Queen Mary Hospital, about a 15-minute taxi ride away. (As all of this took about one hour, I was still able to make a purchase!)

Once I arrived at the hospital, I paid my registration fee of HK$579 (US$75) and received excellent medical care from outstanding health care providers, all of whom spoke English.

I saw the triage nurse, who provided me with ice for my foot, which was now swollen about three times its normal size. After about 30 minutes and two emergency heart attack victims, I was seen by the E.R. M.D. She ordered x-rays to check for fractures. The radiologist had the most advanced equipment. No fractures were seen, so the E.R. M.D. gave me a pain shot and transferred me to the short-stay unit.

No individual patient phones nor IDD (international direct dialing) card were available, so my husband kept calling to see how I was and where I was. The medical referral people checked in on me as well.

I received oral pain medication, which helped, and my foot was elevated and ice applied. In China, patients’ families provide their meals. I didn’t have anyone in Hong Kong, since I had come only for the day, so the staff went across the street and bought me a meal. Talk about service!

After about eight hours, the M.D. making rounds saw me and wanted to admit me overnight, as the swelling had not subsided and my pain wasn’t under control. After explaining that I was an R.N. in the States and could elevate and ice my foot myself and control the pain if he gave me some discharge medications, and that I wanted to go back to my hotel in China, he agreed. Now, how to call my husband?

I was wheeled to a public phone just outside the hospital. Neither my debit card nor my credit card worked. (I had left my Costco MCI calling card at home, thinking I wouldn’t need it. That won’t happen again.) So the aide wheeled me across the street to the 7-11 to buy an IDD card.

Well, I had spent most of my Hong Kong dollars and was short HK$20 to buy the card. A nice nurse handed me the money and left before I could get her name. I bought my card and called my husband, and some friends from another company arranged for a private car to pick me up.

So after eight hours in this hospital, I was taken back to the comfort of my hotel. I was never asked for more money — not for the x-rays, food or medications.

I’m a seasoned traveler, but this accident really unnerved me as I didn’t know where to go, couldn’t get hold of my husband and couldn’t imagine getting back across two Immigration and Customs lines without being able to walk.

When I returned home, I sent the director of the hospital a “Thank you” note acknowledging the wonderful service and kindness of the staff, especially the nurse who gave me the money for my calling card. I received a lovely response from him which said the staff really appreciated the compliments, as their morale was always down as they were short-staffed. Sounded familiar to me.

Lessons learned? Plan ahead, even if I can’t imagine a bad situation occurring. I will always carry my Costco calling card plus more than enough money, and I’ll believe in the kindness of others.

PHYLLIS CASCADE BISMA--NOVSKY
Mountain View, CA