Visiting the Doctor in Jordan

 

We have been in Jordan for three weeks. We have an apartment near the 7th circle in Amman, Jordan’s Capital City. You can read more about our Jordan Journals here and here

Today we experience visiting a downtown doctor”™s office. Up three flights of stairs we enter the small office. While doctors here take appointments, we are here on a walk in basis. The waiting room full. There are two waiting areas. One for women and children and one for men. Beside me sits a women wearing a burqa. You do not see too many women here wearing them, but all muslim women cover their head in a hijab. They range in colours and styles and the women dress very nicely. I was surprised when I first arrived how beautiful their headscarves were and their beautiful clothes. Modesty here often means skinny jeans and a long sleeve shirt, not loose billowy clothing that I expected to encounter. You will however, still find women in loose clothing, ranging from the black hijab and dress from head to tow, to a range of colours of dress.

Everyone sits quietly, except my kids of course. Waiting around is not something we are that good at.…  Something about being 5 and 3 year old boys, they cannot keep their butts in a chair or stop bothering eachother! It seems as though in other cultures in the world are much more patient than my instant gratification raised kids. Here people wait for busses, they wait for service, they are much better at sitting in silence than we are. I often watch amazed as young children in Jordan sit so still. Mine sure do not.

7 women sit around us. The other side of the waiting room, separated by a half wall, has three men. A small space heater sits on the floor, pointing warm air in our direction.

The boys have been suffering vomiting and diarrhoea on and off for over 2 weeks. While they have been acting normal, I cannot seem to rid them of it. Mattias seems to have been suffering the worst of it, with tummy cramps bothering him for 5 or 6 hours and then he is back to his normal self. Yesterday was the worst, as he seemed like he had a fever and did not want to do anything but lay on the couch. I was able to get lots of water into him thankfully, but he did not want to eat anything. After some tylenol and some rest, he was able to walk with me to the pharmacy where they gave me something similar to immodium.

Even though he was back to his usual self (again), it was about time someone saw him. With a little persistence (it is always nice when you can take an arabic speaker in with you, or maybe it was because they were sitting like they had ants in their pants) we were seen quite quick. After checking his breathing, a few taps for his spleen and liver, Dr. Emsieh gave us something for Mattias to take for two days.

The cost for the doctor’s visit in Amman was 10 JD (about USD13).… 

Prescriptions are filled. One cost 2.63 JD (about USD3.00) and is an anti-parasite drug. The other 0.82 JD (about USD1.00) and has something to do with digestion and nausea. Unfortunately, he thinks they taste gross. It will be a fun couple of days! Lets hope this is the end of the sickness!

Are you Planning a visit to Jordan? Check out our favourite website for the best hotel deals by clicking here.

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Have you ever had to visit a doctor while travelling? I would love to hear your experience!

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