Before I left the US,I tried to get my prescriptions refilled for 6 months.  As silly as it sounds,I was afraid to see a foreign doctor and was afraid they wouldn’t have equivalent medications for what I had been taking for the past 7 years.

Thank goodness we picked a small town to live in while in South Africa! Trudie, our wonderful Arbnb host is very out-going and seems to know everyone here. What a life saver!! When I mentioned my predicament of being out of my medications, she made one phone call to the local doc and I had an appointment scheduled for the very next day.

Honestly, I was still somewhat apprehensive, so she kindly agreed to accompany me to my visit. The doctor was very cordial as he led me to the consultation/exam room. ( As this is required to get a “new” script). The room was quite small with a large wooden desk pilled high with stacks of patient charts. It seemed strange to see papers everywhere and no electronic equipment to record such information on. Obviously they don’t have to worry too much about HIPPA laws and guidelines. I somewhat giggled and thought to myself how nice it was to have things back to simpler times.

After a short visit, he invited me into the “exam room” which was in the corner of his tiny office, behind 3 hanging sheets that were clipped to a metal frame with clothes pins. How lovely, nice and cozy. I was expecting a nurse or a lab technician to enter the room shortly. Nope. The doctor himself was actually doing it all. Secretary, Certified Nurse, MD, and now Phlebotomist.The doctor seemed somewhat nervous, so I made small talk and asked how long he had been practicing. Proudly, he responded 12 years. After tying a small cloth around my arm as a tourniquet , he opened the needle from it’s packaging.

Oh gosh, I was so happy to see that his instruments were sterilized. I breathed a sign of relief. However, one second later, I realized the size of the needle.I began to sweat.

Surely there had been a mistake, this thing was more appropriate for an elephant or very large animal, surely not for a small vial of blood, from a human! Wrong again. This was the syringe that was available, therefore, that is what he used. I told myself, “DEEP Breath, it is all going to be fine. You are tough. You got this. ”

Within seconds, that small vial was full and he removed the needle. Due to the ample size of the hole in my right arm, the blood continued to flow freely. In attempt to stop the bleeding,I asked for a cotton swab or a bandaid to put pressure on it. The local doc quickly left the exam room to search for something. Within a few seconds,he returned with an alcohol wipe as to somehow NOW disinfect my skin AFTER drawing the blood. Why had he not located this handy alcohol wipe PRIOR to sticking the needle in my arm?? I said a small mental prayer, that whatever kinds of germs or viruses HAD been on my skin , had somehow NOT entered my blood stream through the artery he had located while inserting the needle. Oh my.

He left the room a second time and returned with some stretchy tape, removed the alcohol wipe and applied a small strip of what appeared to resemble athletic tape. “As good as new” he said with a pat to my shoulder.

Perfect, I was “as good as new” and I had survived my first office visit in a third world country. Yayy me !! I was getting my much needed medications soon and could easily reproduce all that wasted blood in no time at all. This hadn’t been so bad. What had I been so fearful of? I’m always such a sissy when it comes to unknown things. I decided right then and there,that I wouldn’t be like this anymore. I was a grown up and I needed to start responding like one. Fearless I would try to become.

He casually walked me up to the front desk and informed me that he would have the results in a few days and would gladly call the prescription to the Pharmacy for me . No refusal for not having insurance. No long forms to fill out. Simply my name and my phone number on the piece of paper,and I was good to go. He would notify me of the results by text message.

I thanked him for scheduling my appointment so quickly and for his kindness. He simply smiled and said that it was his pleasure. I paused for a moment and just looked into his eyes. He actually was “happy to serve me”. A doctor has never said such words to me. At that moment I realized that these people are truly some of the friendliest and most happy people that I’ve ever met. What an inspiration.

Ohhh, I almost forgot…. the BEST PART of it all was the entire office visit, lab work and consultation…. only $35.00 !! AMAZING!! And … my new prescription, even though it is not a exact substitute,cost only $4.90 per month (compared to $85 in America, WITH insurance). Let that sink in for a moment. 1/10th of the price. Two thumbs up, South Africa. Two thumbs up.