New Day New Humilation

Part of being allowed to settle in Romania is passing a medical. So this morning I went on my merry way to a clinic. After a very awkward conversation involving gesturing (as most of my conversations do) with a receptionist I was led up five flights of stairs, desperately out of breath demonstrating how badly I need to see a doctor, and sat down in front of TV showing a documentary entitled 'Big Mama'. Unfortunately it was about a fish.

I went in to speak to a doctor that didn't speak English, which could have been a little dangerous. So a translator who spoke a tiny bit more English was wheeled in and we managed to have some tests. My lungs and heart are fine, thank you for asking. However, my blood pressure is actually too low, so I had the unusual advice from a doctor to go and eat some salt. This was fine other than the indignity of standing with my shirt undone, it was truly macabre.

Then it was off for a psychological test. I had to pick numbers out of a jumble in a time limit, it was harder than I thought and I have no idea how it works but I was declared officially mentally stable! Happy days! She asked me about my families mental health, I said no history but thinking of my dad speaking about St. Johns Ambulance I think I may not have told the whole truth. When she said I was mentally ok I laughed, I couldn't help it, her head snapped forward "Are you surprised by this?!" I had images of people waiting outside to storm in and drag me away.

The true humiliation was yet to come. I went down to the basement to have a blood test. I'm fine with needles and having given blood on a few occasions and its no problem, though for a minute or two I tend to feel light headed, it goes quickly and doesn't bother me. I gave the blood and that was fine, three days for results. I felt a bit light headed, fine thats nothing new, but as the nurse explained how to get my results, she asked if I was ok as I looked pale. I said fine and thought a little throw away comment, I just feel a little light headed. Before I know it, she and the assistant grabbed my legs, pulled me forward so only my head and shoulders were on the chair as they held me up by holding my legs above my head. She started to shout "Breath!" I pathetically whimpered, "I was breathing". They dragged me over to the bed and continued to hold my legs up shouting like it was ER. To make it worse there were two beds and the other patient was a fifty year old nun who walked in and got out while I was laying on my back, she gave me a little smile as she strutted out. Laying on my back with a nun in the room is strange, though whats not strange is the humiliation that can only come with a women looking down on you.