by Simon C.K. Wong

Editor's note: If you become a victim of a traffic accident as a foreigner in Beijing, what can you do? A designer from Hong Kong had this experience in April. His memorable experience offers a clue of how to deal with the situation.

Bang!

"Oh, no! What happened? Am I still alive? I probably can't have lunch with Shirley this noon."

I tried to stay calm as I sat inside the crashed car. Finding my mobile phone underneath my deformed right leg, I called my friends for help. Within 20 minutes, I was lying inside an ambulance, in great pain, on my way to the Emergency Medical Centre.

I was taken care of immediately when I arrived. Later, the doctors studied my X-rays and told me my right leg was seriously injured. But the even worse news was that the hospital could not accept me because I am from Hong Kong.

After another painful journey in the ambulance, I arrived at the Beijing Union Hospital. (Later I learned that according to the regulations, there are only four hospitals in Beijing that can accept foreign patients: Beijing Union Hospital, the Friendship Hospital, the International Medical Centre and the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital) Finally, I was placed on a comfortable white bed in a private ward. I had a moment of peace before the doctors came to suspend my broken leg in a rather painful and scary way. Having been frightened by this first treatment, I had to make a difficult decision: Should I have the operation done in Beijing?

It was my first time to be treated in a Beijing hospital, and the operation wouldn't seem to be a small one. Based on what I had heard about the "hospitality" of hospitals in China, to be honest, I really did not have any confidence in having surgery here. In my fear and pain, I remembered an emergency phone number I could call for help, the International SOS, which is the agent of my insurance company. I requested them to fly me back home to Hong Kong for treatment. The answer was very positive, the flight and all other necessary arrangements would be ready by the next day if I really decided to go.

Then came another two doctors, Professor Ye and Professor Wang, who are experts in orthopedics and spinal surgery. They explained to me in detail about my physical situation, the procedures to be taken before, during and after the surgery, the possibilities of having complications and how I should take care of the broken leg afterward. They also explained that the operation should be done as soon as possible and that transferring me back home for treatment was not recommended. After listening to them, I realized I was in good hands.

The operation was done at Beijing Union Hospital, and I think I made the right decision. The operation was greatly satisfactory, and I was under good care afterward. I spent four and a half weeks there, and during that period, all my physical therapy was performed on my bed. It was quite an experience to spend 24 hours a day in bed for more than a month. Apart from feeling homesick and bored, I did experience friendship and care, not only from my friends but also from the doctors and nurses of the hospital. It was also the first time in my life I received so many flowers, cards and small toys. Besides all this, the most important thing was, I did feel I would be in good shape again.

I was escorted on the flight home by a medical nurse from International SOS. In Beijing, I received a lot of help from my insurance company, which supported me all the way through.