Different colour, different price
TG hasn’t been feeling too 100% of late. A few weeks ago she had shooting pains up her neck and into the back of her head. This was followed by dizzy spells and she was convinced her hearing in one ear had diminished. She is not the sort of person to complain about any ailment but this was truly troubling her so we decided to act. This morning she went to without making an appointment for a consultation with the local GP who happens to be an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist. He checked her blood pressure and examined her ears and informed her that there was no aural infection but to be on the safe side she should go for a spinal CT scan and a HRCT temporal bone scan at the Apollo Victor hospital in Margao. When she asked the cost of the scan he candidly replied, “that it depended on the colour of your skin”. No discrimination here then!!! His consultation cost only 200/- (2.35p). We were told that if we get there before 1.00 p.m. they could do the scan today. At 10.30 a.m. we were at the hospital reception and paid for both scans which cost 8250/- (97 pound). At 11.30 TG had the scan and we were told the results would be ready for 2.00 p.m. so we went and did some shopping. I bought a new nylon acoustic Yamaha C70 guitar for 7500/- from Pedro Fernandez music shop which is near the market and next door to the Leprosy clinic. TG bought some soft pillows. The pillows supplied with the apartment are basically concrete blocks with a material surround.
We returned just before 2.00 p.m. for the promised results and were told that they would not be ready until 4.30 p.m. This happens all the time in India either Indian people have no concept of time or they cannot tell the truth. However, I was impressed with the availability of the local GP and with the speed that the hospital carried out the scan even though had a dubious price structure.
TG returned to Margao at around 5.30 p.m. to pick up the results of the scan and they confirmed that she has had her brain removed and replaced by a very small pea but other than that everything was thankfully, 100%.
