台灣真好 醫療篇

台灣真好  醫療篇

來美國一年，體驗不同的文化和語言環境，是一件非常有趣的事。我有些樂不思蜀，捨不得離開。但最近和美國朋友討論看病經驗，讓我開始想念起台灣，深深感到台灣真好。

女兒Jessica剛來美國時，曾因感冒喉嚨發炎頭痛，向學校請了好幾天假。焦慮的我們一邊向學校追蹤健康保險卡(八月已繳費了，但九月還沒有拿到任何證明。)一邊也詢問週遭朋友哪一家診所較好。我們到了一家學校護士推薦的診所，但是櫃台護士告訴我們，醫生這個月不接新病患，請我們到其他診所。我們好不容易到了一家可以現場掛號的診所（大部分的診所都是要先預約排時間，不能隨到隨看）裡面擠滿了病患，而且全是黑人，護士小姐態度又很差，還說我們的健康保險繳費證明，沒辦法在這間診所用之類的。我們一氣之下就離開了這間診所。後來我們發現住處附近有一家診所，看起來不錯，但它不接受現場掛號，只能先打電話預約。我們打了電話後，小姐說，我們很幸運，這個月醫生剛好還有一個新病人的缺，所以我們可以去看病。但接下來要看醫生何時有空？她請我們留下電話號碼，她會再和我們聯絡。但從此就再沒下文。我的美國合作教授還特地幫我們再打過一次電話，請他們一定要回電給她，但還是等不到回音。女兒後來在猛灌開水及吃了台灣帶來的感冒藥後才慢慢好了。我們從此就決定，在美國這一年千萬不能生病，因為實在太麻煩了。不像台灣，街上到處都有診所，拿起健保卡掛個號，很快就可以得到很好的照顧。

在美國看病不只麻煩，費用還貴得離譜。就算你有保險，你仍要負擔部分費用，光這部分費用就不是一般人付得起的。

有一位在大學教美國手語的聾老師，擁有學校的健康保險。她最近因為子宮肌瘤動了子宮摘除手術。這本是一個不大的手術，沒想到倒楣的她居然在手術後大出血，於是緊急又動了第二次手術。第二次手術完回家休息後，又發燒感染，再次回醫院住了一週。她說她目前收到的帳單，第一次手術費用是8萬9千元美金。第二次手術費用是9萬1千元美金，(還不包括之後處理感染的部分)。這兩次手術費用合計18萬美金。保險公司能付8成，她必須自付2成，也就是目前為止她必須付3.6萬美金，相當於台幣108萬元！很難想像吧？！

另一位台灣來的碩士學生，在美國醫院生產後，欠了醫院1萬美金（30萬台幣）她說她真的還不起…。

我還認識一位台灣來的朋友，她四年前因先生的工作而移居美國。剛移民過來時，她想拿掉身上的避孕器，想說自己花了很多錢買醫療保險，應該可以派上用場。殊不知她到醫院說明來意後，醫院堅持要先幫她抽血做一般血液檢查、驗孕、及超音波。她抽完血後發現要先繳今天的檢查費用總共需200美金。她就說，不了，她不想繼續了。醫院便派人和她在辦公室談，說她可以分期付款、向社會局申請補助等…。朋友仍堅持不做後續處理，最後花了約70美金的抽血檢查費用結束了這折謄的一整天。幾個月後她回台灣，掛號費150元，30分鐘就順利把避孕器取出了。

看牙齒更麻煩，需要另外買牙醫保險，原來的醫療保險並不能用。朋友的先生因牙痛難耐，想先到家附近的牙醫診所先治療止痛。醫生幫他照了X光，說明已經需要根管治療。和他約改天再去治療，醫生開了止痛藥方，什麼處理都沒做，連清洗、塗藥都沒有，就要200美金（6000元台幣），還得自己拿著處方箋去藥房買藥。後來根管治療(就是俗稱抽神經)花了他2000美金(6萬台幣)。真的好貴！他們最近加買了牙醫保險，有提供半年一次的洗牙服務，但是去醫院預約時，得等五個月以後才輪到他。哪像在台灣，我的牙醫師還會打電話給我，「劉老師，該來洗牙囉！」

這位台灣朋友告訴我，她們雖然住著很大的房子，有游泳池、有庭院，工作也的確比台灣輕鬆，孩子的學習也較無壓力，但這群台灣美國人都有一個共識，在美國不能生病，就算你買得起保險，仍要努力存錢，以備萬一。所以他們都會利用回台時，洗牙、健檢、配眼鏡或做雷射手術。

能當正港台灣人真的很幸福！這是出國後的真心體悟。

英文寫作3 To sir with love (吾愛吾師)

My English Teacher, Bob

I was eager to learn English for a long time. When I came to US to be a visiting scholar at Lamar University, I was happy that I should have a good environment to learn English. However, the department, Deaf Studies and Deaf Education of Lamar University which I visited do not use English as their classroom language. They use American Sign Language to communicate with each other in classroom. So I prayed every day to have more opportunity to improve my English.

When my friend, Sumalai knew my aspiration to learn English, she said maybe her American friend, Bob can help me.

 Sumalai told me that Bob was an English literacy professor of Lamar University. He retired from Lamar about five years ago and started to manage a nice used book store with his wife, Joyce.

At the first time I met Bob at his book store, I asked him to be my English teacher. I do not know why I had courage to do thus presumptuous thing. He did not answer me instantly. 

A few days later, Bob and and Joyce invited my family to dinner at their lovely house,then announced he could teach me English and I do not need pay him money.

I could not describe how excited I was. I run around at my apartment and cheered “I have my own English class, ya! ya!” I thought I was the happiest person in the world.

Bob asked me to read aloud some sentences to test my pronunciation and he taught me how to pronounce those words better at the first class. Then he gave me the Academic Word List to increase my English vocabulary, and he encouraged me to  embarrass myself  at least twice a day using English. “If you don’t do that you are not trying hard enough,” he said. It was really a wise idea. From that time, I encouraged myself to take the initiative in talking with an English-speaking person every day. If I could understand what the person said I felt happy. If I misunderstand other’s words, I felt fine, too because I have done my embarrassing experience homework.

During Bob’s English class, He would ask me many interesting questions to improve my English speaking and share his life experience to help my English listening. For example, “Who is the boss of your family? “ “What makes you angry?” I enjoyed the conversation with Bob. He is a wonderful listener, always paying attention to my words, having eye contact with me. He made me feel comfortable to say anything to him. He is a good story teller, too. He can talk about the issues of science, religion, political affairs, history philosophy and NBA players. He knows much of different cultures of many countries, especially Asian countries. When we talk about the geisha he shares his young life experience in Japan. He told me the true feeling of leaving his Japanese girl friend, pretending she missed him and never had another boyfriend. He introduced me to the movies “ Sayonara” and “Teahouse of the August moon” to let me understand the interracial issues. He is the most Humanistic quality man I have ever met.

He not only taught me English, but also gave me important inspiration of my life. When I told him, I was worried that there would be too much work to do when I come back to Taiwan, he said, “Follow your bliss, you will be successful easier.” When I told him I missed my husband so much, he helped me to write a poem to relieve my suffering from missing;

When I talked about my disappointment that I found if someone wanted to make his article published on famous journal, he should try to have a good relationship with the editors of the journal. He said” Try to tell someone your idea, let more people understand you.” These words were kind of “Shan” to me. It made my mind free from worries.  

The feeling of sitting in Bob’s English class is just like bathing in the spring wind. I will treasure the fate with Bob. I don’t know how to thank Bob, who has taken me from shy to brave in English and taught me how to respect the others who have different culture. I don’t know what I could give Bob in return. However. I will pass Bob’s kindness forward to another person.

幸福的母親節

充滿幸福的母親節

女兒的創意和用心，讓我過了一個非常溫馨、非常滿足的母親節。

上個星期，她們在百貨商場選了一條非常漂亮的項鍊給我。前幾天Dr. Andrews的老公給了她們每人20元，獎勵她們拿了每科都是A的成績。在賣場時，她們看我很喜歡那條項鍊，就決定買用她們的錢買下來送給我。

接著她們又設計了一系列的母親節慶祝活動，讓我應接不暇，連寫這篇文章，都覺得需長話短說才寫得完。且讓我一一說來。

週末的傍晚，Jessica依照Bubu食譜做了布朗尼蛋糕，還在上面用字母寫成「MOM We Love you」送給我。

第二天早上，趁我出去散步時，這兩個小女生又設計了個創意活動。我一回到家，在家門口看到一封「恐嚇信」，署名是外星人。內容說外星人來過我們家了，外星人把我們的兩個女兒變成布偶娃娃了，要我依照外星人的指示去解救她們。第一步就是把門打開，果然看到了兩個女兒動也不動地趴在地上變成了填充玩具狗。地上有一張指示，要我先吃完一個杯子蛋糕、再對女兒說兩句真心話，還要寫三句情詩給孩子們的爹。當我一一完成後，兩個女兒才開始動了起來。還給一個熱情的擁抱，感謝我解救了她們！

中午，Jessica煮了創意海賊王蛋包飯。

下午Amy做了美麗茶凍。

晚上Amy本來要煮義大利麵，但因為Jean給了我們一鍋雞肉湯，實在吃不下了，她才有點失望地說改天再做義大利麵請我。

我很高興，女兒願意為我做這麼多讓我歡喜的事。我也很欣慰，兩個女兒都很有創意和能力，有能力帶給別人歡樂。

讓週圍的人快樂，是一種很棒的習慣，

解除別人的痛苦，是一項很好的能力。

親愛的Jessica和Amy，媽媽好幸運，可以生到你們這麼貼心、溫馨的女兒。

你們今天想讓媽咪快樂的心意和做法，將會鼓勵媽咪繼續努力，學習做一個更好媽咪！也期待你們這把樣的心意擴展到週圍的家人和朋友，讓更多人因你而快樂，因你而解除痛苦。

P.S. 在寫這篇文章的同時，女兒過來告訴我，「今晚要早點上床哦！我們還有特別服務─油壓按摩和敷臉！」太好了，我得停筆了，這可是天底下最棒的享受，怎能錯過！