Thursday, January 18, 2007

Typical Penangite



What define Penangites?

Case scenario 1:
While first attending to two wheel-chaired patients referred from other hospital in the clinic early in the morning, I heard a commotion outside the room of a couple arguing with the nurse, apparently because the two patients that I saw first had jumped queue, they were number 3 apparently. (By the way, the first two patients had made appointment a day earlier by their referring doctors). So by the time I saw the couple 45 minutes later, they started grumbling non-stop.

Patient: What kind of system is this? People who came later than me, can just cut queue.

Doc: (Explaining to the patient in the nicest and humble way) Cool down Mr., actually those two patients had already made appointment a day earlier, they were from other hospital.

Wife chipped in: I think you all should revise a better system. We came early at 7.30am to get the parking space, and now we have to wait for nearly two hours.

Patient: (Continued grumbling...) You know, I am also an ex-government servant.... !@#$%.. and blah, blah, blah...

Doc: Ok, ok, I apologize for the inconvenience.... (Yes, doctors are slaves, as if).

While writing the prescription,

Patient: Can you please give me some panadol, and a bottle of cough syrup please?

Case scenario 2:
An elderly woman, who defaulted follow-up for 8 months, came to continue her medicine (for seborrhoeic capitis). After waited for near an hour, came in requesting to be seen early, as she had not had breakfast yet. Ok, took pity of the old lady.

Doc: What's you problem auntie?

Patient: I come to continue my medicine, just give me back the old ones.

Doc: Why haven't you come for so long?

Patient: I am having difficulty to come to hospital, no transport. Anyway, just give me back the old medicine. And give me more so that I don't have to come so many times. By the way, why is my scalp always itch?

At the same time, writing the prescription: Teepol shampoo x 2 (Usually I give 1 bottle), Aques cream 500gm (The biggest container), Piriton 30 tablets.

Doc: This is dandruff, auntie.

Patient: My husband (standing beside her) also has dandruff, can you give him another two bottles of shampoo.

Husband: Yes, give us 4 bottles.

Ignore all the request and continue writing.

Husband: 4 bottles ah, ok.

Patient: And also, give me some panadol and a bottle of cough syrup please.

Husband: Remember ah, 4 bottle shampoos please.

GOT REAL IRRITATED

Doc: Uncle, I can only give maximum 2 bottles, that is the rules.

Case scenario 3:
A retired school teacher with long-standing HPT/DM/IHD/Dyslipidaemia, FBS 10.2 mmol. Had been advice to add Insulin numerous time.

Patient: How is my blood test?

Doc: Hmm, very bad uncle. Your sugar level is very high. We have advised you for Insulin many times. How about it?

Patient: No lah, doctor, this time I will try controlling my diet again. Recently, I have eaten blah, blah, blah.. (and all sort of reasons), blah, blah, blah. I already have too many medications to swallow everyday.

Doc: In that case, I don't see anymore reason for me to continue seeing you here in the specialist clinic, since your diabetis will not improved without Insulin.

Patient: Please doctor, give me another chance. May be next follow up and see.

Doc: Ok, ok. (Try to see as fast as I could).

Patient: How long would you see me back?

Doc: 4 months. (Our usual TCA duration).

Patient: No lah, doctor, can I be seen earlier?

Doc: No, our appointment is too full, 4 months our usual.

Patient: Two months lah doctor, two months (Bargaining).

Doc: Ok lah. (Reluctantly)

While writing the prescrition (10 items),

Patient: Can you give me a bottle of cough syrup, panadol and vitamin B complex please?

Doc: (Got irritated) I thought you said, you have too many medications to swallow?

Case scenario 4:
An old lady was brought by her daugter to the clinic for follow-up of chronic eczema.

Doc: How are you auntie?

Daughter: Same lah, my mom still have this persistent rash and itch. But, give us back the usual cream, and MORE please.

Doc: Hmm, well, chronic eczema is really difficult to be cured.

Daughter: Doctor, can you please give my mom vitamin c, that would make her better.

While writing the prescription (Betnovate cream, Aques cream),

Daughter: (Reminding) Vitamin C ah. Also can you add some panadol and a bottle of cough syrup, please?

..................................................................


So, what define typical Penangites?

GREEDY, STINGY, KIASU, and plain RUDE.

So fed up with Penangites.





7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha Ha This is exactly why I did not do internal medicine! So irritating

Unknown said...

Cytusm.. i included this post on the blogroll.. it's hilarious.. i love it.

yuexian said...

yes, unfortunately this is the ugly face of them. guess not just penangite but i think this can apply to the entire malaysian, perhaps singaporean too (no offend) too?
*we penangite not too bad ~ lar. at least the younger generation i hope*

Mediviron UOA Clinic said...

yuexian, you are absolutely wrong! Penangites are just as bad as everyone else.

The majority of Malaysians(including me) are RUDE!

reddaisie said...

found ur blog when i typed in teepol shampoo..your post is funny :)
are u a doctor is PGH?

Anonymous said...

I just came back from Penang last night Sept 28, 2010. To me, most Penang people especially the cab drivers and market traders including the waitress, waitresses are extremely rude. We, Sabahan, would never acted that way to anybody, especially tourists, regardless they are Malaysians or foreigners, come to Sabah to experience it!.

The traders, if you bargained for a much cheaper price (shirts) you better buy it from him or her. If you decide not to then you are bound to be insulted and yell at in public. This kind of behaviour is no no in Sabah. So much for One Malaysia.

Another thing that boggled me is the other races in Malaysia, not Malays or the natives in the Peninsula.

They work usually as cab drivers and in the eateries, if you talk to them in simple primary one's basic Malays or English, they don't responded well. As if they don't understand our Bahasa Malaysia. Is this on? what if you need to communicate further with them? blows me away in this.

The best part is when you ask them to repeat what they responded to you earlier on,

You bound to get bombarded by them again. Isn't that silly?

Last but not least, most cab drivers didn't follow the mileage meter in their cab.

They charged me arbitrarily, whatever they like, so be careful.
From Hotel Continental to Georgetown Airport charged me at RM48 and while others RM35 and higher. What the...?

The nicest thing in Penang is the Char Kuey Teow of course. he he.

Jv tglee said...

HI, i am dr from KK, ur post is really hilarious..it reflects the patients in my place too!!