To admit or not to admit

For the past few days, I have been going daily to a government hospital to visit a relative who was admitted for tests and observation. It was a few days into CNY that my relative felt that her heart was beating too fast and after meals, she would have pain all over her upper torso. She self-medicated for a week before deciding to see a doctor and get a referral to be admitted to the hospital for tests. One year short of 70, with diabetes, high blood pressure and a history of heart disease, she does not look sick at all but she can tell that something is not right with her body this time.

The main thing that struck me during these visits was the sheer boringness of a hospital stay for the patient. Once visiting hours were over, there was nothing interesting for the patient to do except to lie there and wait for more tests to be carried out by the doctors. Sure, the patient could read a book and watch tv but the mind is not there and it is not enjoyable to read a book or watch tv lying down on a hospital bed with machines sticking to one's body.

Seeing this, it does not surprise me that some people would endure pain and discomfort to avoid a hospital stay and having tests done on them. Now I wonder which category do I belong to:

A. Someone who will consult a doctor and go to the hospital for tests when feeling some pain.

or

B. Someone who will endure pain and discomfort for as long as they can in order to avoid going to the hospital for tests.

I couldn't decide but I believe that there is a kind of pain that is so excruciating that one would not be able to endure it at all and would be forced to go to the hospital whether one likes it or not. But for everyone else, I would prefer them to be in category A because it is better for them and also for me if they get admitted to the hospital when they could still do it than for them to be found unconscious by someone else and be admitted then. For in the latter case, the condition would be serious and perhaps even fatal.

So it pays to make extra effort to take good care of one's health by exercising regularly and eating healthy food in moderation. Not to achieve eternal life but to avoid the sheer boringness of a hospital stay.