Happy Valentine’s Day people! On this lovey dovey day I would like to share my personal experience of getting a comprehensive health check. Why? Because I think that the greatest gift for your partner (and yourself) is not a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates, but the promise of good health.
My last health check-up was in 2006. Yeah, I’ve had been a bad, bad, bad girl. I should be getting a medical check annually but you know what, it’s hard to blame myself considering my past experience.
I mean, just read this excerpt of that old blog post:
The clinic itself was a house of labyrinth, complete with winding stairs, long corridors and unlabelled rooms. It was more nerve-racking being at the clinic than at the job interviews; the place was seriously spooky. After asking a few members of the staff, I finally found the receptionist.
Anyway, I handed my documents to the surprisingly pleasant-faced lady and was asked to take a seat. But I went to the loo instead, courtesy of downing two big glasses of chinese tea at breakfast while watching my Dad devoured his delicious pork noodle. After that, I was called into a room and a girl handed me a small bottle reminiscent of Brand’s Chicken Essence. I told the girl I would try my best.
Shady clinic, unlabelled rooms, staff with cold demeanor and chicken essence bottle for pee collection??
Wow, no wonder I never gotten around to have another check-up. That was until G and I were considering taking the matrimonial plunge that we thought perhaps we should find out if either of us had any genetic incompatibilities (future baby making purposes) but most of all, we just felt that we had been pushing our lucks far too far by delaying this crucial task.
After a thorough research, we decided to go with BP Healthcare. It seems to have a good facility and it has all the tests that we want within our budget. Also, we’ve heard pretty good comments about it.
# – The main BP Healthcare facility is a large building in Glenmarie.
As I entered, I was completely blown away. I was expecting walls with peeling paints & watermarks, staff that hate their jobs, smelly stained settee and general scariness (yes, I can have a pretty grim disposition). But everything looked so clean and sleek and modern. WHAT IS THIS SORCERY???
# – Sofas that I want for my own home T_T
# – Reception cum pharmacy with cheerful staff.
We registered ourselves at the reception and were told to wait for someone to get us. Less than 5 minutes later, a nutritionist introduced himself and led us to a consultation room. I know it’s a consultation room because every room was labelled. Hah!
# – All the rooms were clean & tastefully decorated.
# – Being interviewed by the nutritionist about my lifestyle etc.
Besides gathering more information about my lifestyle, my height & weight measurements were taken as well as a sample of my blood.
# – Less painful than a mossie bite :)
# – Used syringes are discarded properly.
And then it began. I was led from one room to another, each for a different type of test. In one room, I had ultrasound done on my breasts, abdomen & pelvic areas by a radiologist. In another, I had my bone density scanned. And stress test was also done in its own room by a consultant doctor. Oh, not to forget chest x-ray too. The machines were state-of-the-art staff, nothing I’ve ever seen before! *jakun*.
# – About to jog in my scrubs.
The funnest part of the check-up was running on the treadmill with about a dozen pads strapped on to my chest. I know it’s weird but I actually really enjoy running on a treadmill. *Major hint to hubby for new treadmill*
Before I forget, instead of being forced to take a bottle of yellow sunshine out into the public area, there’s actually a designated drop-off area inside the toilet where you can leave your urine sample discreetly. PHEW!
All in all, the entire checkup took a few hours. I’d recommend that you take a day’s leave if you intend to have the same checkup done (ours was called Head2Toe).
For women, the waiting time for results is a week, but for men is only 3 days. Something to do with the pap smear results or something taking longer.
A week later, we went back to the centre to collect our results.
I was a nervous wreck. A lot of questions went through my head, what if I have an incurable disease? What if I am barren? What if this? What if that? What if, what if, what if??
5 years of not having any checkup does that to you I guess :P
# – Species Name: Nervous Wreck.
Looking at preserved damaged organs that belonged to other people didn’t help one bit.
# – A scary looking tyroid gland.
# – I think this was just a growth removed from the leg of a poor man. Ouch :(
After what seemed like an eternity, although in reality it’s only 5 minutes, I was led to see a doctor who interpreted my results.
# – Explaining all the medical terms & answering my questions patiently.
Finally, she gave me a clean bill of health but not without advice of more exercises and healthier food :)
# – A heavy stack of documents containing all the result of every test. Even things like ultrasound printouts, heartrate chart, bone density chart and many more. All these were explained and interpreted by the doctor.
So there, my experience going for a full medical check-up. So glad we did it, we have since been more conscious & informed about our diet and exercise, now that we are educated about our own bodies. I totally recommend it!
