Life: Idiotropic

Just a little thing we take fore granted. Language. It slows things down here. Had an ultrasound on a Thursday at a German clinic. The doctor's report was, of course, in German. I brought it to the American clinic on the Friday. That was over a week ago. The paperwork (though it's only a half page in length) has to go to a translation service. I went in today. The doctor hadn't seen it. They expect it back Friday of next week - a full 3 weeks after I originally turned it in. Good thing I don't have some fatal, time sensitive issue going on.

Of course, for me, the major frustration is that I was told that because it was short, that they would translate it there for the doctor and I could go ahead and make my appointment. It is frustrating to get up early and make special arrangements, go to the MD and have them say, "so why are you here? I don't have any paperwork." Yep. That's life here. Wonderful in most ways, but extremely irritating in others. Sometimes I feel like we live in another epoch long ago.

A friend of mine took her son to the emergency room on Sunday. They told her they don't take children. She had to drive 45 minutes to the next one who prescribed antibiotics. The hospital didn't have a pharmacy. All the pharmacies in town were closed. It's scary how ill prepared they are for some things here... how many things people just accept and don't make better. Medicine seems basic. Especially at a hospital.

Advil is prescription only here. Poor Tinny had the most horrible headaches sometimes and has nothing that works for them. Once in a while she'll ask if I have something and she is always so happy when one simple little advil tablet will quickly work.

Herbs are pushed here with the same vigor that medicines are in the states. Somewhere in between lies a balance that I haven't seen attained. A mentholated bath, menthol tablets, menthol tea, even menthol enemas to cure a cold... people use these things here. Doctors prescribe them.