Maria’s Blog

August 2008 would perhaps be etched in my mind for a long time to come, but the Beijing Olympics was only one of a few reasons.

The main reason is that I had been diagnosed by Chinese doctors with skin allergy, or more specifically, allergy to 1) eggs and 2) the air in Beijing.

The first is puzzling and bewildering. I have been eating eggs all my life, and now I am told that I am allergic to eggs??! The thought of not being able to consume any egg-related products is a depressing one. While I do not consume eggs by the gallon, I love my sunny-side ups, omelettes, not to mention egg custards and a million other egg-related products such as noodles, cakes and desserts.

And two days after my diagnosis, I promptly forgot the doctor’s advice and thoughtlessly popped a Hong Kong pastry into my mouth, only to end up scratching for the rest of the day. And prior to my diagnosis, I had no idea that almost every kind of Chinese fried rice uses eggs “so that the rice does not stick to the pan.” So even fried rice is something that I have to eliminate from my diet.

The second is even more baffling and perplexing. Beginning in 1999, I spent six years in the Chinese capital, where the air quality and the level of pollution were arguably much worse than the months leading up to August 2008. And I was fine then. But now with much better air quality I am allergic to the air in Beijing?

Worse, the doctor suggested that I should avoid leaving the house if I can help it. I did not have the heart to tell him that I am a journalist and sitting at home watching television and counting my toes is simply not an option that my bosses will find amusing. Friends joked that I should either go out wrapped in a plastic bubble, or pray that the air in Beijing deteriorates after the Olympics.

Jokes aside, there is nothing much I can do, except dutifully take my allergy medication.

As for the visit to Chaoyang Hospital for the diagnosis, the experience was much better than I had expected. The queuing was orderly, and the hospital had a clear system in place - for instance, a queue number was needed before the consultation, and payment was required before medication could be issued.

My only complaint was having found out belatedly that I could have paid a bit more and seen a specialist, an option that I imagine will allow me more privacy. I do not know about other departments within the hospital, but my sense is that patients consulting a doctor for skin allergies are not entitled to any privacy. During my two visits to the skin department of the hospital, I have people hovering behind me waiting for their turns while listening to my medical woes.