Expat feels grateful for timely treatment

As the city is going through a special period, with people coming down with COVID one after another, many things which you can easily do in normal times become a bit difficult: order a take-away online but fail to get a deliveryman, or go to the hospital but need to wait in a long queue as many people are sick.

However, some small acts that warm people’s hearts spring up here and there. Don Rechtman from the U.S. encountered one of them: receiving timely medical treatment for his ear.

Rechtman, a professional musician and a composer, has been living in Shenzhen for over 12 years. Recently, he also came down with COVID, but fortunately, the symptoms were mild. They gradually coalesced into a head cold, which triggered dreaded ear symptoms one afternoon a few days ago.

“I live in eastern Shenzhen, and typically would go to a hospital in a more central district that is at least an hour from my home. But with the urgency of getting my ear drained, I went to a nearby hospital,” Rechtman said.

The hospital was packed with a long queue that would require several hours’ waiting. Besides, there was no translation service for him. “I was very moved by the commitment the overwhelmed staff showed to their fellow citizens. But rather than waiting, I elected to take the subway to my usual hospital and arrived after their regular working hours,” he said.

However, when he reached the second hospital, the emergency room doctor advised him to return in the morning to see an ear specialist, as none was on duty at the time.

Fearing the possibility of the ear drum rupturing before the morning, Rechtman asked his colleagues to see if they knew of any hospital with emergency staff who could help as well as provide English translation.

“I was quickly informed that Shenzhen Hengsheng Hospital in Bao’an District was just one of the clinics that met the requirements. I mentioned I live on the easternmost edge of Shenzhen. This hospital is not far from Shenzhen’s western edge, near the airport. Fortunately, Shenzhen’s high-speed Metro Line 11 has a stop near the hospital (Bihaiwan Station), making the trip only around one hour 20 minutes from my home to the hospital,” he said.

Shenzhen Hengsheng Hospital in Bao’an District. Courtesy of the interviewee

The hospital has three full-time staffers who work as interpreters for expats. All three had recently come down with COVID.

“However, one of them, Sophia, added me to her WeChat and, even though it was after regular hours, arranged to meet me when I arrived. Sophia’s attitude was not simply one of work obligation; she is passionate about serving the needs of people,” Rechtman said.

When he arrived, Sophia walked him through registration and payment for services, and took him to their after-hours on-duty ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist. Thanks to her work, Rechtman quickly received the treatment he needed.