I was enlisted in the list for national service, batch of 2015. When I first got to know, I felt like my whole world came tumbling down that very instance.

I had already banned all shimmers of hope and all the possibilities of me bailing out of plkn. It's impossible. This appointment I had was with a specialist because the doctor that checked on me before this thinks that by just having flat foot as an excuse to bail out is absurd and unwillingly recommend me to the specialist.

I would like to give my honest and blunt comments on this doctor if I may but sadly, I may get caught and send to jail over things like these. As I'm unwilling to spend my precious youth at jail, I would, as people say chicken, refrain from using those words against her. But I can describe my feelings towards her. Anger and unsatisfaction.

I'll tell you why.

She was very polite at first. Asking what's wrong with me and stuffs. As my mother explained the situation, her eyebrows frowned and soon she became damn demanding. She refused to hear what me and my mother had to say about it.

I'll tell you how.

Firstly, I was explaining that I had a special shoe for my flat foot. Without even finishing off what I had to say, she interrupted me and demanded to see the shoe. As we didn't bring, she frowned even more and was shaking her head like the way a teacher frowns at you for failing your test.

Secondly, the most absurd thing ever for to say. We were required to run through a series of medical check up. As I just had my menses the day before that, it's unavoidable and supposedly understandable that I have blood in my urine. When the doctor saw the slip result for my urine test, she was like why didn't you clean the urine?

Being a bio student, I couldn't let myself get shamed by her in such a idiotic manner. I stood up for myself by explaining I was having period.

The next thing she said will surprise you and understand why I've lost my respect towards her.

"I know you have period. But since you know you have it, then drink more water lah. We want a clear sample of the urine. How can we hand in a report with this results on your urine? It's because you didn't drink enough of water that's why the urine isn't clear."

Someone please justify this and let me know. By drinking water, can you eliminate any trace of blood or somehow prevent the blood from being excreted?

Thirdly, after looking through the x-ray for one minute, she declared everything was perfectly fine and again, demanding for the letter written by the hospital. The hospital only gave us slips of papers with the condition of my flat foot and backbone being written. She denied it and once again, shook her head.

When I mean that she was demanding, I mean it. I do not in anyway try to exaggerate or sabotage her reputation. She wasn't kind and patient at all. She toned up her voice all the while seemingly trying to rule over us.

Honestly, I have no respect for you at all. So what you graduated and got a degree for medic. Hey maybe you should try learning about MANNERS and earn a degree for it now.

Coming back.

After around 3 whole hours waiting for nothing ( Ohh Malaysians with their punctuality ), it was finally my turn. When I was inside the room waiting for my turn, I heard a familiar voice. The voice of the doctor who recommended me to the specialist.

She said this aloud, "Ohh, this patient. She told me some nonsense about flat foot and somehow relate to backbone problem. She said she has some special shoe but she never bring. Just show me pieces of papers and some x-rays and expect me to free her from PLKN. I already fire her nicely the other day."

And comes the other voice, "Ehh, janganlah. Patient kat dalam bilik ni tau." ( Don't do that, the patient is inside this room you know? )

I swear I was holding back my tears. How the hell. "Serving patients with our brightest smiles...", some motto that is.

BULLSH*T.

Regardless I still had to see the specialist. I've come a long way, not to let my pride being trashed like this. NO. I'm gonna fight for this.

The specialist listened to everything me and my mom had to say, patiently like a caring mother. She asked me to walk around and saw the x-rays that we brought.

She then told me that it was incurable as it was brought up since I was young. And recommended me to do Breathing Exercise and Relaxation Technique. She urged me to search it up on Youtube. Even though she knows it was incurable, but she still wants me to do well and to not let my feet get worsen.

A few hours before I went to the hospital, I saw a pair of heels my mom bought and asked whether I could wear for prom instead, knowing very well I could trip and fall easily as I lack the sense of balancing and my feet will ache a lot. My mom teared up a little when she told this to the specialist. She knew how much I wanted to wear the heels but I simply couldn't.

The specialist after hearing everything we had to say finally decided to exempt me from PLKN. In the description about the reasons why I couldn't go, I recognize something that refers to my flatfoot and also, lumbar sclerosis.

Another event that makes you speechless occured again.

Round 2.

The specialist was curious as to why the forms weren't filled in and questioned the doctor in front of her. Since she was my consultant from the other day.

The doctor, with a very firm manner told the specialist that she was sure she filled in everything. And one point questioned us whether did we photostat and somehow change the info there.

Ladies and gentlemen, behold, le doctor of tomorrow.

But of course her accusations were futile.

The nurse who stood beside her told her that she was the one who kept all out forms right after we saw the doctor and was holding it ever since. So it was impossible for us to change the info on top.

The doctor immediately said "Yes, boss." when asked to fill in the forms on the spot with a soft voice and her head low.

Hell yea woman. You so deserved that.

Now, I'm not being childish by praising the one who got me out of plkn and bad-mouthing the other who didn't. I'm simply stating the fact.

I'm in no position to lecture what a doctor should and shouldn't do. But at the end of the day, the one who suffered will neither be you or your close friends or relatives. Is that why you must treat this as an insignificant thing?

Please listen to what your patient has to say.

Please admit your wrong doings.

Please do not look down on patients and assume they do not know anything related to medic and think that they treat you like God all the time.

Well I guess it's now up to you to believe whether what I told was true or just something that I made up.

We thanked the specialist. She even wished me all the best in future. I really am in debt with her. She is a very very kind person.

The focus of this post is actually, not on one hell of a luck-stricken girl who can be exempted from plkn. But the responsibility of a profession, especially one that concerns the life and the physical well-being of living things.

I hope that the doctor will go for a better change.

xoxo