I thought I had appendicitis and ended up at UChicago’s emergency room 😔
Note: I’m not a doctor. If you aren’t feeling well do get professional help and I hope you would get well soon :)
Funny enough, I had a nearly identical scare during undergrad in Shanghai — same deal, unstoppable stomach pain. So I have an accidental side-by-side comparison to offer.
Shanghai: I was ambulanced to Changhai Hospital’s ER on a weekday afternoon. Within a few hours I’d had blood drawn and a CT scan done. My symptoms stabilized, and I was discharged later in the evening.
Chicago: I walked into UChicago’s ER at 11pm. By 4am I’d had a CT, an ultrasound, and bloodwork — and was cleared of acute appendicitis and sent home. So the total wait time was actually pretty comparable.
Everything is fine, but I think I deserve a medal.
On cost — it’s honestly not as bad as I expected. Both times I was on student health insurance. In Shanghai, I paid around Â¥4000 out-of-pocket total, covering the ambulance (Â¥200), a follow-up premium outpatient clinic (for Â¥400 I got to see the best doctor the very next day, who carried two interns taking notes), plus CT, MRI (with a little wait), and a sedated endoscopy. In Chicago, I paid about $900 for the ER visit with immediate CT, ultrasound, and blood tests. Accounting for the general price difference between the two cities, it comes out roughly comparable.
I hope you never need this post. But if you do end up in the ER — it’s scary, and you feel vulnerable in all ways. Maybe this helps: prioritize your health, get a decent insurance plan, bring a good friend if you can, and just go. Take care :)