A whiter shade of ail(ment)

Today I learned a little bit about the Swiss medical system. It has a reputation of being second to none, and after today's little experience I don't doubt it. (Don't read this if you're bored by health stories. Plenty of time for those in the retirement home!)

This particular doctor is situated in the middle of town on the second floor of a beautiful old building. At street level is a 24-hour chemist, which has the feel of an old lolly shop, with ceiling-height, carved timber shelving and all manner of fascinating jars and drawers and scales.

Anyway, upstairs the receptionist/nurses (4 of them) had white aprons over their street clothes, and both doctors (I saw two swanning around) were decked out completely in white - ours sported a white polo shirt, white slacks, white loafers, and a massive tan. He was young, Greek, as it turned out, and looked like he should have been on a yacht, at sunset...

In my experience in Oz, if you visit the doc for the dreaded sinusitis, they prod you and poke you, and sometimes give you an antibiotic.

Here, I had blood taken (finger prick) and tested on the spot, and an X-RAY!@##$%

Nurse: So I vill take you for ze X-ray now?
Me: Sorry?
Nurse: So I vill... etc.
Me: Sorry? Did you just say X-ray?
Nurse: Yes, and ve vill leave the children here to wait?
Me: Er... OK. (Thinks: Holy cow. Do they really think that's a good idea? [Children currently squabbling over the water filter.])

I couldn't believe it. They did it all on site, and I only had to wait 10 minutes for results. And the children played I-Spy quite happily in my absence. (DS was sure he'd seen a Trud. Whatever that is.)

I was getting slightly anxious that I might be faking it and they might find nothing wrong with me, and then I might get put in jail... but luckily I really do have gammy sinuses.

PS. The whole building was painted white inside, with black leather chairs complete with almost embarrassingly stylish sick people.