Check Up - A Resolution Kept

Getting a check up right after the Christmas and New Year holidays may not really be the best of times, especially for Filipinos like me. Remember, we are renowned for our celebration of the season, which starts as early as September and lasts until January. This gives us the excuse to indulge in our passion for rich food that includes the famous lechon (roast pig), washed down with Coke, as well as an array of desserts so irresistible to our sweet tooth. This “deadly” combination can wreck havoc on cholesterol and sugar levels.

Like most people, I don’t like consulting a doctor. Fortunately, I haven’t been seriously ill, and I can count with my fingers the number of times in the past 15 years I’ve seen the inside of a clinic. Getting a comprehensive medical check up had been the perennial start-of-the year resolution that has always fallen by the wayside.

So, in mid-December before I left for home, I made an appointment at the Health Assessment Unit of Matilda International Hospital, which boasts one of the most comprehensive health screening programmes in Hongkong. Evaluating my family medical history, and taking into account this was to be my first thorough medical check, it was decided the Platinum Plus programme best fitted my needs. I was booked for a January 9 slot.

WHERE IS IT? 41 Kellet Road, The Peak, Hongkong. The hospital is standing on prime real estate and has a commanding view of South China Sea.

THE FACILITY: This 101-year-old hospital is known for first-class medical care in a cosy five-star hotel-like environment. It is the facility of choice for the city’s large expatriate community as well as local residents, who both put a premium on comfort, warm personal interaction and quality healthcare.

THE PRELIMINARIES: A week after the appointment was set, I received a package from the hospital containing a written reminder, a medical history form consisting of several pages and a specimen collection kit.

When I returned to Hongkong, I completed the medical health form, which also included a series of questions about lifestyle, work habits and diet. I was grateful that prudence had guided my eating habits during the holidays and I never gorged. This is not to say I deprived myself. I just had enough to satisfy my cravings.

Recalling our family ailments, I could only pinpoint my mum’s tendency for high blood pressure and my paternal grandfather’s fatal stroke. I guess that meant we had a predisposition for heart disease.

A member of the staff rang up the day before the check up to reconfirm my appointment, reminding me to abstain from food after midnight in preparation for the blood samples to be taken the next morning.

THE PROCEDURE: Arriving at Matilda at 9.30am on a chilly winter morning, I was immediately ushered to the Health Assessment Unit on the first floor. The atmosphere was bright and relaxed, which helped greatly to drive away any jitters. Head nurse Danni Tang led me to my exclusive examination suite. The hospital has only five such rooms in this section.

The facility boasts amenities not found in other testing centres: a flat-screen TV, a sitting area and a mini fridge and even a desk for workaholic patients (although why anyone would be bringing his or her laptop when the focus should be on one’s health strikes me as absurd).

Nurse Tang ran me through the whole programme chosen by Dr Cary Chan, my assigned physician. Platinum Plus is the most comprehensive programme in Matilda’s health-screening portfolio. She explained its main highlight is the CT heart scan whose results are more accurate than the standard stress test. I was relieved that I didn’t have to go on the treadmill, dreading the humiliation of lasting only minutes on that equipment. I know myself well.

Nurse Tang said that all my consultations would take place in the suite with most of the tests done on the same floor, except for the chest X-ray, mammogram and abdominal ultrasound that could only be performed in the Early Diagnostic and Imaging Centre located in another area.

“If a male doctor needs to examine sensitive parts of the body, a female medical staff will be in the room during the examination,” she assured me, enquiring whether there was anything in the programme that bothered my cultural sensibilities. To which I immediately informed her that I preferred not to have the pap smear done. She stressed that I would always have the final say on any procedure in the day’s activities.

I submitted my specimens and medical form, although I found there were more forms to fill up and sign.

Asked if I wanted to be notified by phone even if the results were normal, I said I wanted that service. Nurse Tang then gave me the breakfast menu card and I opted for the Chinese breakfast of minced pork congee, barbecue pork buns and hot tea.

A battery of X-rays

Nurse Tang gave me a quick tour of the suite, leaving me to change into a hospital gown. I was grateful for the long white robe provided as it was chilly in the suite.

Soon, a male nurse entered to take blood samples. Thankfully, there was hardly any pain as he quickly drew two vials of blood.

Nurse Tang came in and introduced Nurse Ada Wong, who would act as my guide, during the rest of the check up.

Nurse Ada proceeded to take my blood pressure. It was slightly elevated, prompting her to get another reading after most of the tests had been done. She then took my height and weight measurements. At 1.58m, I was within the normal weight range. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually lost 1kg despite all the feasting of the previous two weeks. The not-so-heartening news was that my body fat percentage, at 27.7 percent, was slightly above the desired range.

We took the lift down to the Early Diagnostic and Imaging Centre on the ground floor for chest X-ray. It was done in less than five minutes. Next, we headed for the mammogram room. The female technician was very patient in guiding me through a process many women find painful, if not strange.

The abdominal ultrasound was handled by Dr Rex Wong, who scanned my kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas and liver. As he went through each organ, he gave repeated instructions to take deep breaths, hold them in and exhale.

The CT heart scan followed. This involved me lying down as I passed through the 64-slice VCT scanner. Similar to the ultrasound, I was asked to take a deep breath and hold it in at certain moments. I knew then that they were taking 64 three-dimensional images of my heart to check for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. Apparently, calcium deposits build up years before signs of heart disease start to show. This sophisticated scanning was over in about five minutes.

Upon returning to the reception area, I was told there was a need to repeat the mammogram as the films did not turn out clear. Although alarm bells were ringing in my head, I firmly put a stop to them. I decided there was no use fretting over some imagined complication.

Consultations and physical examination

Back at the Health Assessment Unit, breakfast was brought into my suite in a serving trolley complete with fine cutlery.

Nurse Tang returned with dietician Daphne Wu in tow. Ms Wu was holding my dietary profile in her hand. After several additional questions about my eating habits, she repeated my mother’s mantra: “Eat breakfast in the morning.”

Her observations did not come as a complete surprise: not enough calcium as well as fruits and vegetables in my meals. Ms Wu emphasised the types of food I should be eating and gave me some tips to improve my diet.

I finally met Dr Cary Chan, who was in charge of my case. We discussed my medical, lifestyle and employment profile. Noting that I declined to take the pap smear test, Dr Chan urged me to get one within the year.

We then moved towards the examination table where I was told to perform different hands, feet and shoulder movements. He then checked my ears and eyes. Afterwards, I was made to lie down for a physical examination of my breast and abdominal areas.

“We won’t do a thorough physical examination of the breast because the mammogram is far more accurate. But we still need to feel under the armpits as some lumps can be found there and are usually missed by the mammogram,” Dr Chan patiently explained.

In general, he concluded that all appeared normal, adding he needed the complete results of all tests – laboratory, X-ray, etc – to make a definitive diagnosis.

A few minutes after Dr Chan, physiotherapist Agnes Wong arrived to check my posture from different angles. She was extremely helpful, demonstrating some simple exercises to correct my posture, improve my flexibility and strengthen my abdominal and shoulder blade muscles. “You need to exercise to strengthen and build your muscle tones. Weak muscle can affect posture too,” she said.

The major consultations over, Nurse Ada came in to take my resting ECG and again too my blood pressure – this time it was normal. She then led me outside my room and conducted optical, auditory and lung capacity tests. They were unremarkable.

Finally, after four hours, everything was done. I said my goodbyes. I was advised to expect a phone call about the preliminary results within three working days and the comprehensive written report of all the test results will follow by mail in 10 working days.

THE ANALYSIS: Nurse Ada rang up two days later. The mammogram showed that while there were no lumps, there were calcifications on the upper side of both breasts, which were most likely to be benign. I was told to do a follow-up mammogram in six months. There is also a small cyst in my right liver, a common condition that required no treatment.

I received the written report of all test results and consultations, and CD images of the tests exactly 10 working days after the check up.

According to Dr Chan, my overall health is good. The test results on my breast and liver exams are not major cause of concern, although it will require regular monitoring. My cancer markers are normal. My calcium score is zero and my cholesterol levels are normal so there is no need to worry about heart disease as yet.

The Platinum Plus programme includes a free follow-up with Dr Chan for an explanation of the written report. But I didn’t feel the necessity of going in for this.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Highly recommended. Getting a heath check is nerve-wracking, but Matilda International Hospital smooths away as much of the tension and hassles. Its multilingual staff also makes communication easy.

PRICES: Platinum Plus costs HK$11,000 (US$1,419). Matilda has other health check programmes designed for the different needs of patients. Prices start from HK$1,210 (US$156).