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Dreadful Day
By Peace | March 9, 2009
It was a terrible day — dreadful waiting to see my gynae. It was extremely packed yesterday though it was a rainy day. My appointment was already booked one month ago and Richard was saying,”Change another day…” Easier said. I hate to go out on rainy day, with all the wet floor and have to bring umbrellas too. But because of my baby, I had to go means I had to go (Rain or Shine!)
Appointment with C.H Koh
Ricsson said,”Go early lar.” Then I told him the long story again… My appointment was fixed at 4pm. If you arrive too early (that is, before 4pm), you cannot get a queue number. The nurse will tell you to come back at 4pm. If you arrive later, you will still be issued queue number (at that point when you arrived). Last month, my appointment was 3pm. I could not make it at 3pm. I called up to ask if I can go later at about 4 plus and they said okay — “anytime you come also can as long as before 5pm.”
The Expected
On this day, we arrived punctually and I waited at the reception, to be issued queue number. It was so full of people in the clinic. After the routine (weighing, testing urine and blood pressure), the children and I went shopping to pass time. We were told to come back at 5.30pm (the usual time — coming back at this usual time does not mean its your turn. Still need to wait.)
The Unexpected
Yesterday was so unusually long. The children and me went back to the clinic at 5.30pm and was surprised to see the queue number hardly moved. From 4-5.30pm, the queue number was only from 108 – 113! My queue number was 123. I asked the nurse,”Did the queue number jump?” One said “Yes, what is your queue number?” and another answer, “No!”.
Anyway, we were again told to come back later. We might have to wait until 6-7pm then we would be able to see the doctor. We went KFC to look for Richard and had our dinner there. As soon as I finished eating, I went to the clinic to wait for my turn.
Finally, around 6.25pm if I am right, my queue number was called. Inside the room, everything was so fast — the usual routine again. Hardly do I spend more than 5 minutes in the room, but waiting time was 2.5 hours! It is extremely tiring.
The worst is yet to be over.
At the MRT Station:
Outside The Train, Platform
This is Jurong East MRT Station. It was taken last year at the peak hours in the morning.
MRT cabin packed with people. Passengers have to stand near the door of the train.
The whole train was crowded with passengers.
What happens during peak hours
Similar case happened on this day, where I had to take a train back from Toa Payoh MRT Station back to Woodlands MRT Station. The crowd was even worst than what you see in these photos. There was no way I can get into the train. I would be ‘crushed’ and suffocated if I got into the train at that time.
Inside The Train:
Again these pictures below were taken earlier and not on the present day.
This is the so-called Priority Seat signboard put up just above the first seat and last seat in the MRT cabin for passenger with special needs as shown in the picture.
This is what you usually see in a packed cabin. This is not the most packed. The most packed cabin is the one where you cannot move (hardly move at all — don’t even need to think of taking any pictures).
Everybody Got Their Own Special Needs
The first seat, just behind the glass partition is the priority seat. Most people ‘sleep’ or read newspaper and would HARDLY ‘Notice’ anyone with SPECIAL Needs around. And with the cabin so pack, there is even more reasons not to see anyone with special needs.
The End Result of Education
Even when the cabin is not so packed, Singaporean Hardly gave up seats to people with special needs. With my tummy so big now, hardly people with Priority Seats gave up their seats to me (when it was not so packed with people). Most of the time while traveling on MRT, I had to stand all the way, standing with so many people near the entrance, until there are available seats. Most people (if any) who gave up their seats to me are not from Priority Seats at all. There was one time where a man offer to let me lean against the transparent glass as he thought would be more comfortable for me. I was thankful to him for being so thoughtful. (This is the few kind man around, and most man are kind as in giving up seats as compared to women.)
My niece was pregnant last year and her baby was born already. She had similar experience. However, she had to suffer more than me as she need to go work everyday. Nobody offer her any seats and she had to sit on the floor with her big tummy!
Pay money to stand
This photo was taken on this day when we boarded this train. The children were amazed and laughed when they saw this cabin with no seats at all. Richard said it was a playground.
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