I had this crazy stomach ache a couple of days ago that didn't really go away and after a while I couldn't decide if it was my intestines hurting or my uterus. Being 20 weeks prego made me feel a little anxious about the whole thing so I gave my doctor a call. I expected her to say take some Tums or drinks some whatever... but after describing the pain she said I should go to a doctor. She wanted me to go to HK, which at 7pm on a Wednesday is virtually an impossible task. It was somewhat necessary because all the good doctors in our city were already off at that time and wouldn't be coming back to work for several days.
As soon as I got off the phone with her I called our driver and asked him to check on tickets to HK and the closest cities that are have easy access to HK. Of course there were no tickets, being the night before a National holiday didn't work in my favor. When I got home I called another friend who so brilliantly called the airport and found a couple of tickets to Guanzhou which is only about an hour from the HK border. Problem was we had about 40 minutes to get the airport ( oh, and pack, go to the bank, and get Gracie ready to leave). We knew that was impossible, but we hoped they might make an exception. We got there 10 minutes late and the gate was closed - they wouldn't allow us to buy the ticket because it was too late to check in. (The plane wasn't scheduled to leave for 20 more minutes.)
So we went on to plan B. We had already called the doctor back and asked if the next morning would be ok? She thought if there was a real problem it would be best to get to a hospital that could help me. So we found one remaining ticket on a plane to Shanghai and purchased it. They said if Matt and Gracie waited until 10:15 (flight left at 10:45) they could buy a ticket if someone didn't show up. Of course, everyone showed up - the day before a holiday and everyone wanted to go to Shanghai for vacation. So I went alone.
I flew Spring Air - a new private airline here. It was like being boarded onto a cattle car. There was no 1st class or business class. As soon as you entered the main door you were immediately greeted by rows of passengers. A douple row of 3 all the way back to the tail of the plane. Crowded doesn't really describe it very well, but I guess that is what I would have to call it - CROWDED! That was the longest hour long flight I have ever taken.
When I arrived in Shanghai the place was jumpin'. I stood for about 20 minutes in the taxi line and was finally on my way to the hospital - an international deal. Upon entering the ER I knew it was a major holiday - I was the only one there. After giving blood and pee they said I could go and come back in the morning for a sonogram ( which is what my doctor wanted me to have asap). SO much for going to a bigger and better city. They asked if I had somewhere to stay and I did, my Chinese sister lives in Shanghai, but it was about 45 minutes from the hospital and since it was already 2a.m. I asked about a hotel instead. I could hear the doctor,a fellow foreigner, and the nurses discussing this and he said I should stay at the hospital. I told the nurses I didn't want to pay several thousand if I could pay several hundred closeby... which got a free night in an ER bed. They turned the lights off and everything. I was the only patient all night long.
The next morning I had my sonogram - which was awesome. The baby is so big and developed. We tried to find out if he is a he or she is a she, but I guess since Daddy wasn't there he/she refused to give it up. Anyway, the sonogram doctor said everything was ok. Then I saw an OB doctor who was very unconcerned and said all was ok. So about 8 hours after arriving at the hospital I left and went to my friend's. This is Tian Tian's family - his photos are on our website. We had a nice lunch and I even got to go to the neighborhood Papa John's and buy a pizza for dinner. Yum! We got a ticket online and at 3:15 I was on my way back to Nanchang on a real airplane eating snacks and reading magazines (neither of which were on my flight to Shanghai).
Tian Tian loved pulling around my little suitcase.
Me & Lillian, my Chinese sister. I had to hidebehind her because she made me look like a whale!
I got home less that 24 hours after we left for the airport the previous night. We had an awesome pizza dinner, I discovered that my wallet had indeed been stolen (probably at the bus stop) the day I left for Shanghai, and then I went to bed at 8:30. What a day! Went to Shanghai and didn't even get to eat a salad.
