As it’s coming up to Christmas I thought I would get into the festive spirit and write about something uplifting and happy. The only problem is I am in a bad mood about the cold weather, having missed half of the Beijing summer through immobility. The reason for this: nothing more than appendicitis. It was completed unexpected, and of course unwanted, but it certainly gave me an insight into the way the Chinese health system works. I can honestly say that in my relatively sheltered little existence it was a pretty horrible experience, and actually made me yearn for the disgustingly dirty and overcrowded British hospitals. At least they are free, and at least they actually listen.

It all started in late July, when I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night with terrible stomach cramps. Having had a friend stay with me from England for a week or so, I thought it was just due to overindulgence in food and drink. However, after about 8 hours of increasingly severe pain, I realized it was more than that. Having worked for a medical insurance firm before dealing with client symptoms I quickly realized it was my appendix, and that I was going to need to go to hospital.

By the time I got in a taxi with my wife and friend to go to hospital though, I could barely stand with the pain. I drove from my home in Wudaokou to a nearby hospital in Zhongguancun. I was quickly examined and they confirmed it was appendicitis, but told me that unfortunately they couldn’t treat me because they were not authorized to treat foreigners. Somewhat bemused and in terrible pain, I had to once again drag myself into a taxi and make my way to another hospital.

I finally got to the PKU Third Hospital where I was again examined fairly quickly, and it was again confirmed that I had appendicitis. I needed surgery, and there was little I could do about it. However at that point I just wanted the pain to stop so wasn’t really that worried. I thought I would just need a few routine tests and then my surgery could begin. I thought wrong.

Although they told me my appendix was dangerously swollen and could burst, it took them 8 hours to ‘process’ me. The tests I could handle, as I knew they were necessary. I could even handle the ultrasound operator telling me I was ‘spoiled’ for flinching in pain when she pressed the area near my appendix. I could even take being told by the doctor that my surgery would be more complex because I was ‘fat’. What I could not take though was having to go through the ridiculous bureaucracy of endless form-signing, being ‘settled into bed’ and having to collect my various bank cards to be able to draw out enough money to pay for my operation.
I know I am a fool not to have health insurance, but I can deal with the money loss. It was just the fact that my appendix could have burst anytime and I was being made to sign stupid forms about which bed I would be staying in and what size pyjamas I would need.

Eventually the surgery was to begin, but not without the shock of being told they would perform open appendix surgery on me WITHOUT FULL ANAESTHETIC! Now, I’m not a real wimp, but having open surgery like that whilst being awake doesn’t appeal. Eventually they relented and let me have a full general anaesthetic.

I came round a few hours later to the hatchet job that was my appendix wound. Rather than a neat little 2-3cm scar I had a huge 3-4 inch hole in my side. My appendix had not burst, but this was pretty grim.

The final straw for me though was that after the surgery I was refused all forms of painkillers. I of course understand the need to wait until the anaesthesia is out of my system, but 24 hours later despite being in great pain with this huge cut in my side, I was allowed no pain relief. I asked them repeatedly why I wasn’t allowed some form of pain relief, and their answers infuriated me. They simply said ‘this is not the Chinese way’.

So not a medical reason, just clearly some sort of punishment or cultural test! I think when I am paying for the bloody thing I should have the right to get hold of some painkillers, particularly when after about 12 hours they were already telling me to get out of bed and move around. Not easy when your stomach muscles move and feel like they are tearing your belly in half.

I got out of there after 2 days of pain, boredom and misery simply because if I was going to be treated badly and told to stop feeling sorry myself it might as well be at home with my wife where I can use my laptop and watch DVD’s. I was hoping to be mobile again in a few days, but the wound was so bad it took nearly 2 weeks before I could leave the apartment and walk around again, and almost a month before I had no pain. At least I had an excuse to vegetate in front of the TV and watch the Olympics all day!

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful that my life was effectively saved, and it really didn’t cost anything like it would in somewhere like the USA. The hospital was very clean and the staff were efficient, if somewhat lacking in bedside manner. However, the experience as a whole for something as routine as an appendix operation was seriously unpleasant. Next time I must plan my unexpected surgeries for when I am back in the UK!

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