The Best Hospital In The World

I have many quirks. I only buy books that have fonts I agree with, paper stock that I like. I love airplane food and how there is a little something for every task you take to feed yourself. I have to eat my french fries before I eat my burger and if I don't finish my fries before I start on my burger, I will not re-visit the fries. They'll cut my tongue 'cos they're dead fries. Yes, so before you go delete me off your Facebook list of friends, I have one more that will push you over to disown me forever.

I like visiting hospitals.

I like it when I can go and visit someone (not that I like my friends and family to be admitted) or receive outpatient treatment myself. Yes, I go to the hospital for outpatient treatment. I only visit GPs if I have a company card that doesn't require me to pay and my sickness is small enough that I feel well the moment I step out of the clinic. But when I get hit by large sicknesses like the recent flashmob of a gastric flu, I head to the hospital. A&E no less.

And my preferred hospital, which in my humble opinion is the best hospital in the world even after they have changed management? Alexandra Hospital.

The motley crue that ran management at Alexandra Hospital (AH) recently upsized their operations at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, a large building far flug in the corner of Yishun so JurongHealth took over AH and I must admit I was skeptical but I soon realise it was all unfounded. Before you run off thinking I have too much time on my hands, having an opinion about hospitals, read on.

AH has saved me once too many times for me not to pledge loyalty to them. Many a times when I get struck by the odd stomach flu, I run to them and like a mother hen with open arms, they take me in and nurse me back to health in a matter of 2 days. When a biker friend of mine had a metal chip so tiny we couldn't see fly and embed itself in his budding pilot's eye, AH banded around him and worked relentlessly till they got the chip safely out of his eye and waved him as he soared the skies in a great way to fly. So like I said, AH has saved me once too many times for me to trust another hospital. It's just not right.

I was first whisked to AH by my then boyfriend, now fiance when I was hit by a bad case of cough. I scowled when I had to pay $60 (then. it's $75 now) upfront. But as I went through the procedures I realised my mighty $60 gave me full access to all their technology. I was brought for a consultation with a doctor. Then he recommended an X-ray which was done 10 minutes later with results displayed 20 minutes where I was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. I was sent home with medicine that cost me $5 and an MC for 2 days. I was as fit as a fiddle within 2 days.

Just in case you think I'm sickly, frail and constantly diseased, I'm not. I'm just condensing my experiences, or at least the worse ones.

Another time I had a bad bout of gastric / stomach flu (I never know the difference). They brought me in, another $60. The doctor decided I needed to do a scope. A week later, I was lying on my side with a tube down my throat into my stomach (and gagging of course). In 30 mins, I was looking at images of my insides. If I ate a mentos mint 5 mins before the scope, it might be sitting there looking smug squeaking, I'm the king of the world! I framed up the picture. I kid you. My reddened stomach walls were proof that it was protesting and I had a bad bad case of gastric. But in a week, I was done. I was cleared of it and everything was back to normal, order was restored.

I ranted so much just to say this: AH may not look like its prettier Tan Tock Seng cousin, or the handsome Khoo Teck Puat NKOTB and though it sometimes look haunted and pre-war and like a 'small public hospital', but in my opinion, they are the best hospital in the world. bar none.

*Alexandra Hospital is located at 378 Alexandra Road, next to Queensway Shopping Centre where you can go for laksa after getting your MC. I recommend the A&E for the 'best hospital in the world' treatments. No complimentary tea provided. Help yourself to an apple at the registration counter though.