"Weekly Contest 40 || The Diary Game || From the hospital to where I was taught about life as usual."

Why I visited the Health care centre

I'm really grateful for the likes of @m-fdo who on a daily basis gives us this platform to poor our heart out on how our day went.

It's usually a moment to help others learn from what happened to us and also a moment to get excited and fun from people's sweet experiences.

To me, yesterday started like no other. I had this job I wanted to venture into, and part of the requirements was to provide my test results for HIV and Hepatitis B.

So, early in the morning, I went with my mum to one of the primary health care centres in Uyo Local Government, the one along Barracks Road, also called Willington Bassey Way.

Normally, I’m not the hospital-visiting type.

In fact, I can go through all 365/366 days in a year without stepping into a hospital, except to quickly stop by a pharmacy for malaria drugs.

I give God the glory for such grace. But yesterday, I had no choice.

When we got there, I was impressed by the looks of the environment.
This wasn’t your usual health centre.

It looked like a proper, well-developed hospital.

Kudos to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency Past. Governor Umoh Bassey Eno for putting in so much to upgrade it.

There were many people, children, pregnant women, patients, nurses, lab scientists, all busy in their own corners.

We ran the tests and got the results.

But before going there, we had stopped at FCMB bank at Abak Road because my mum has this BVN and NIN mismatch problem that keeps disturbing her whenever she needs to do something official.

Unfortunately, the issue wasn’t completely resolved, but at least what she needed it for that day, was successful.

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Afternoon Trekking and School Wahala

I couldn’t wait to collect the test results because I had an appointment at school, so I told my mum I’d go ahead. I was a little curious since one's test results can't be shared with a third party no matter who is involved.

Around a few minutes past 12, I trekked from the health centre to the University of Uyo Town Campus, about a kilometre.

I had transport fare, but I wasn’t in a hurry and I’m used to trekking, so I decided to save the money.

My plan was simple: pick up my already-bound project work, see my supervisor for his signature, then head to my coordinator, and finally go home.

Life, however, had other plans.

At the binding man’s place, so many students were around. Some of them noticed mistakes in my work. Not actually they noticed the mistakes, but because this mistake was common to all.

So immediately I arrived, they notified me so I won't arrive the supervisor's office and return same.

I had written “Doctor” instead of “Professor” for our HOD’s title, since she was only just elevated. And you know the weight of such offense knowing very well how these people value their title because of the annoying processes one goes through before reaching such height.

I also had to change the order of my name on the declaration page.

I had written Emacha, Aniekeme Monday from my Surname, instead of Aniekeme Monday Emacha, from my own name.

These corrections delayed me further, and when I finally got the work, the man’s small, crowded workspace and the falling rain made the wait even more frustrating. What should have taken me 30 minutes took almost 2 hours or thereabouts.

At least the project work was ready.

Those A4 papers you're seeing inside, where the pages I later printed for replacement.

It was 2.

Then the 4 copies of the project made it 8 copies which cost for ₦350.

Then I paid the man ₦500 after removing the pages with issues for replacement.

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More Waiting and a Heartbreaking News

I rushed to my supervisor’s office, only to be told he had just stepped out and his office was locked.

We waited for over 2 hours. While waiting, a colleague who had been looking unhappy earlier told me something that broke my heart.

His dad had passed away on Saturday.

This was the same friend who escorted me to Uniuyo Microfinance Bank just days ago.

I didn’t even know what to say to console him.

I thought of words to say and means to use to make him not feel the impact of what had happened to him.

I don't really know how to console someone because it is a very difficult thing to do and needs a unique skill to make it effective.

I really felt for him and wished I could do anything to bring his dad back or perhaps made him not feel the impact of what had befallen him.

I pray the good Lord that consoles go and visit him, even now. 😭😭😭😭

Eventually, someone called the supervisor, and he arrived roughly 15 minutes later as promised. We signed our project works, and he took one copy from the four we had.

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The Seminar Grade Disappointment

From there, we went to the coordinator’s office, but the crowd was massive.

After sometime, the number reduced to what you see now.

The number may look small to you but when you consider the fact that one student spends up to about 10 to 20 minutes in the man's office, you will understand it better.

We waited for almost 4 hours.

I was really tired and hungry, and hadn’t eaten all day.

So around some minutes past 6pm, I couldn’t take it anymore and left to find food.

Just a minute after I left, my friend Marvelous called me back, "ssssssszz", he called.

People were looking for “Emacha.” and that was me.

My group head told me the coordinator had graded her A in our seminar work but gave me a C because I wasn’t present at that moment.

This was a three(3) credit unit course and you know what that means.

I was shocked.

Seconds of absence had cost me a better grade.

Infact I could still have a clear view of the crowd to show you that I didn't even went far.

I wasn’t happy, but I was partly relieved that my seminar work was finally done without defense at least.

And the worst of it all is that I later went to go eat but all restaurant in the school had closed and only one was still open.

But when I put in my face through the curtains to ask if they had pepper soup rice since the weather was so cold, she said that no food was left.

That was how painful it was. I lose the grade and still went back hungry 😭

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Evening Exhaustion

About an hour later, I was able to submit my three remaining copies of the project work.

It was already some minutes to 7pm.

My parents called, because they knew that I was not supposed to stay that long.

They were worried about why I stayed that long, so I explained the whole school drama to them and told them that I would be back soon.

When I finally got home, I bought food from a restaurant where my brothers usually go to eat most times, when they return from hustle because I was too tired and hungry to cook, and there was no light at home yesterday night.

After eating, I went straight to bed.

The bed absorbed me.

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Final Thoughts

To be sincere, I had no reason to be proud of yesterday but because it is often said, "Give thanks to God in everything," I had to, because I don't know if the worst could have happened.

I even forgot to tell you how a mini bus driver came from behind and stepped his car tyre on my foot.

And all he could say was "sorry".

Though I didn't expect much from him but he was so careless to come from behind to hit me. That was only possible because he was not focusing on the steering but discussing with his friend on the road and I paid his prize.

I didn't say anything.

I left!

The fraustration was enough to helped me kept quiet but my face said it all.

I really thank God that I didn't sustain any injury probably because the palms I wore was really thick.

But all glory be unto God, the maker of Heavens and the Earth.

Yesterday taught me patience, reminded me that school stress is real, and that sometimes, life changes your plans without warning.

Just at the finishing line, just at the point I was about to finish up with uniuyo, all these happened.

From hospital visits to trekking, from trekking to waiting, from waiting to long queues then to unexpected disappointments, it was a day to remember.

But when I arrived home, I got the test results from my mum and it was nothing much than what I expected.

@edu-chemist
@bossj23
@emmalex25