Well, because I am just the luckiest gal in Europe, I have fallen sick again. This time on a Saturday leaving me quarantined to my bed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, my three days off from work. Awesome. Basically, what I thought I had was the flu, but I think i nipped it right away Saturday with loads of liquids, spanish poweraid, chicken soup, and some concoction from la farmacia.
By monday, I was feeling better, but not really up to par. After speaking with the English teacher who I work with, she advised me not to come in, and to take a few more days of rest. Plus, they don't want me infecting anyone, and the classrooms are REALLY COLD (c'mon, where's the heat!?!?- if anyone knows me, they know I do NOT do well in cold)
Anyway, I agree to do the lets not go to school thing. So I continue sleeping in late, sipping my cafe on the couch in the morning while listening to Shakira, and other assorted sick day activities. Now, keep in mind im on day 4. And for the most part I feel better, im just worried about my Lymph nodes and some bacterial deposits on the roof of my mouth (hey, i spared the details until now!) So anyway, by day 4, laying in bed all day and not leaving the piso gets old. So I decided to venture out into the world again.
What a beatufiul day it was! I ended up fixing my bicycle subscription to VALEN-BISI, the cities bike rental system (more to come!) and riding the 3.7 KM to the beach (taking it easy of course, dont want to overexert myself here) and catching up on some journal writing.
The next day, I walked to the park to catch some sol (sun) and do some reading.
Then I went to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor. First of all, although I worked at a medical office, I hate going to the doctor and waiting for ever and being touched and having to answer awkward questions about myself. I hate paying a co-pay just to be told "everything seems to be in order".
The payment was the real issue. Here in Spain, health care is free! (who knew that was possible!) All doctors visits and prescriptions are free. Everything. Unless you're an extranjera like myself. As Fulbrighters/foreigners, we are required to pay out of pocket, and cash up front. Now one doctors visit could run you 40 euro. Now if you're as lucky as Nora and need bloodwork done, you're shelling out 150 euro. We will receive a reembolso (reimbursement)... everything but 15 euro, or dollars, for co-pay.
Now I was peer pressured by my mother and English teacher to go to the doctor. Finally, to please everyone, I agreed in spite of my fear of needing to get bloodwork done and finding out I have some disease which needs medical attention in the States. So I took my English teacher's advice and went to the doctors office where her sister works, it was very close to my home, and he spoke some english.
It was actually nice. The doctor himself took me into his office and I sat in a nice comfy chair and we spoke in spanish about what was going on. Thank goodness I took Martínez' Spanish of the Professions course and Im familiar with my medical vocab!
Then, he took me into the exam room and did an thorough exam. And yes, we all know Spaniards are touchy feely.... but to listen to my lungs, the man unhooked by bra! And then did not even have the decency to re hook it for me when he was done!
He also used this other tool that was very funny to me. It was to make sure that I still had a sense of feeling. It kind of looked like a nut cracker, and he would bang it against his wrist and it would make a piiinggg sound. Then he'd lightly touch the end of it to my arms and legs, to make sure I could feel the vibration. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and kind of couldnt stop laughing when he used it.
Then, I got a sonogram. I really hate when doctors make me feel like Im pregnant. But this time, the sonogram was of my lymph nodes in my neck to measure the size of them to ensure they're normal and not cancerous or what not.
So at the end, after washing off the sono goop and rehooking my bra. He tells me that yes, I had a virus. I need a few more days to get over it. I have normal symptoms and reactions to a bacterial virus. Stay home from work the rest of the week, stay away from people who are smoking (aka dont leave the piso) and if it doesnt get better, fill this prescription written on what looks like a scrap piece of paper.
Just what I suspected. Spent my valuable 40 euros to hear that I WAS sick and I need rest and liquids. I think I should be a doctor. Too bad I dont do blood/needles otherwise I'd be there
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