I recently acquainted myself with my "ATFL" (anterior talofibular ligament). This wonderful bit of flesh attaches the front of the shinbone (tibia) to the front part of the heelbone (talus) on the top of the ankle. Unfortunately, my anatomy lesson began while I was out for a morning jog. Not yet fully awake and letting my mind race off to other priorities, I drifted left, landed my foot on the edge of the pavement, and violently twisted my ankle outwards as the side of my foot rolled over into the uneven grass several inches below the top of the concrete. Yes, I felt a "pop" and knew by the pain that my day had just taken a similar turn.
I gingerly limped home, sweating in the Saturday morning Singapore steam, and promptly put it on ice. My agenda for the day ahead included meeting a coworker at the office so that we could finish up drawings and a presentation required for a business trip with my boss scheduled for Monday (2 days away). As I limped outside to catch a taxi downtown, I knew the injury was worse than I had hoped. Six hours later, plans and presentation looking good, it was time to acquaint myself with Singapore's health care system.
Thanks to one of the world's nicest coworkers and his dutiful girlfriend, we hopped (literally) into a taxi and headed to Singapore General Hospital. Although crowded with many suffering from the "Singapore Cough" (my armchair diagnosis), I was seen quickly, x-rayed, diagnosed, casted, taught how to properly use crutches, dispensed painkillers, and out the door in about 2 1/2 hours. Sarcastically speaking - the price of this subsidized, non-free market medical nightmare? A soothing $140 (which even included the $40 aluminum crutches and prescription).
Facing weeks of impaired mobility, it was obvious that the imminent business trip to Kazakhstan wasn't going to happen for me. What did happen, however, was many small kindnesses from flatmates, coworkers, and complete strangers. I got to know the many online grocery delivery services in Singapore. I added some upper body strength. And, I always got to sit in a "priority seat" on the subway. Speaking of which, brings me to the title of my blog post.
Every work day, I travel 12 subway stops into town and 12 back home. Riding in quiet solitude among the masses of video-watching and digital fruit gaming commuters, the repeated, previuosly recorded safety announcements (provided in a variety of languages for multi-cultural Singapore) begin to wash themselves into one's brain. The final statement, at every stop before the doors open, sounds to this American like "Governor Chief Pulling Gull".
Some people fear Obamacare - now you know my nightmare... ("Governor Chief Pulling Gull" x 12 stops x twice a day x 5 days a week... just a little attempt at humor...).
PS: Here is an interesting article that caught my attention - surprising to me that Portland didn't make the list: http://www.eco-business.com/news/singapore-tokyo-among-top-ten-best-cities-urban-sustainability/?goback=%2Egde_81137_member_5799254302375567363#%21
I gingerly limped home, sweating in the Saturday morning Singapore steam, and promptly put it on ice. My agenda for the day ahead included meeting a coworker at the office so that we could finish up drawings and a presentation required for a business trip with my boss scheduled for Monday (2 days away). As I limped outside to catch a taxi downtown, I knew the injury was worse than I had hoped. Six hours later, plans and presentation looking good, it was time to acquaint myself with Singapore's health care system.
Thanks to one of the world's nicest coworkers and his dutiful girlfriend, we hopped (literally) into a taxi and headed to Singapore General Hospital. Although crowded with many suffering from the "Singapore Cough" (my armchair diagnosis), I was seen quickly, x-rayed, diagnosed, casted, taught how to properly use crutches, dispensed painkillers, and out the door in about 2 1/2 hours. Sarcastically speaking - the price of this subsidized, non-free market medical nightmare? A soothing $140 (which even included the $40 aluminum crutches and prescription).
Facing weeks of impaired mobility, it was obvious that the imminent business trip to Kazakhstan wasn't going to happen for me. What did happen, however, was many small kindnesses from flatmates, coworkers, and complete strangers. I got to know the many online grocery delivery services in Singapore. I added some upper body strength. And, I always got to sit in a "priority seat" on the subway. Speaking of which, brings me to the title of my blog post.
Every work day, I travel 12 subway stops into town and 12 back home. Riding in quiet solitude among the masses of video-watching and digital fruit gaming commuters, the repeated, previuosly recorded safety announcements (provided in a variety of languages for multi-cultural Singapore) begin to wash themselves into one's brain. The final statement, at every stop before the doors open, sounds to this American like "Governor Chief Pulling Gull".
Some people fear Obamacare - now you know my nightmare... ("Governor Chief Pulling Gull" x 12 stops x twice a day x 5 days a week... just a little attempt at humor...).
PS: Here is an interesting article that caught my attention - surprising to me that Portland didn't make the list: http://www.eco-business.com/news/singapore-tokyo-among-top-ten-best-cities-urban-sustainability/?goback=%2Egde_81137_member_5799254302375567363#%21