Hygienic Point

"Hygienic Point." This is a sign that I saw in the supermarket.  Meaning, unclear.  What I do know is that the hospital I visited today was desperately lacking a hygienic point.  

My reasons for visiting the hospital were twofold.  1. I had to get a certificate of health in order to finalize my work permit and 2. I had to get a vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis.  After about 12 seconds in the hospital I decided it would be more sanitary if I gave myself the vaccination using needles found on dark alleyways and brewing my own homemade vaccination in stagnant water.  Long story short, I opted out of the vaccine.  

After my visit to the hospital I must say I feel more sick than well.  Chiang Mai is up in arms about Swine Flu, or H1N1 as they insist on calling it, and after my hospital experience I'm up in arms too.   Meaning, a hypochondriac like me visiting a hospital with patients decomposing on gurneys all around the waiting room is not going to leave the hospital with a feeling of health and "protection." (My conversation students learned the word "protection" today.) Also my visit with the nurse, as well as everyone else's visit with the nurse, occurred in the waiting room with hundreds of Thai people watching me.  Privacy is dead.  Privacy is especially dead since I saw two of my students in the hospital while I was practically getting my blood pressure taken.  I promise by tomorrow the entire Payap campus will know that Ajarn Elena was at the hospital.  This will then turn into a rumor that Ajarn Elena has swine flu.  I will then be approached by the miniscule head of the English Department and she will peer up at me and say something like, "They say you have H1N1." 

I'm home and appear to be well.  And although the hospital visit was mildly harrowing the entire thing only cost $1.50.