Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts

Monday, 1 February 2010

Enter 2010

Iata-ma si-n 2010. Incepuse bine. In Livigno, o statiune cu totul si cu totul duty free din Alpi, la granita dintre Italia si Elvetia...la zapada de-un metru juma', cea mai de-la-mama-ei pizza (de retinut si de reeditat varianta cu ricotta si spanac), cele mai cu vino-ncoa paste (traditionalii Pizzocheri Valtellinesi din faina integrala cu salvie, legume, branza proaspata si muuult parmezan) cel mai ieftin alcool, in fel si chip servit (a se citi rom cu ceai si nu invers, whiskey cu ceva cafea nu irish coffee) si cele mai multe si bune partii.




Ma cam codisem eu sa ma arunc chiar asa la o vacanta la ski, ca nu prea ma gaseam in cea mai buna forma fizica (programul post honneymoon devenise criminal si incompatibil cu sala) si ma cam visasem in stransa relatie cu o fractura…nu imposibila daca te gandesti ca veneam dupa un an de pauza si fara vreo tura de incalzire pe partiile autohtone.


But I'm no chicken. Doar mergeam acolo cu nasii nostri, cu care cu greu ne putem vedea, ei ducandu-si traiul si muncile la Londra. Ratiunea i-a dat, asadar, ignore intuitiei si intoxicatiilor sub forma de vise rau-prevestitoare. Asa ca, dupa o mobilizare exemplara din partea proaspatului sot, o saptamana de ski in Italia a devenit evadarea perfecta. Iata-ma deci in clapari, pe schiuri, complet echipata, loving every bit of it (dupa stressul de inceput si o tona de ezitari).


Aici se rupe filmul. Ziua 3, spre final, dupa "no woman no fall" si dupa o pauza in varf de munte (pe la 3000 si) si-o gura de Bombardino (un lichior de ou delicios servit fierbinte, la cana, cu frisca si pai) absolut necesar din cand in cand pe cele minus 25 de grade la care ne dadeam: genunchiul stang cedeaza, cadere banala, cu schiurile in picioare si-un trosc suspect care ma arunca iremediabil in valea plangerii. Urmeaza 10 minute de durere atroce si frig plenar in asteptarea paramedicilor salvamontisti. Prima targa soseste dar se opreste mai sus pe partie, pentru domnul care tocmai facuse un infarct. Dam, stringand din dinti, prioritate cazului mai sus amintit si-ncercam sa explicam in italiana aproximativa (invatata in adolescenta de la Non E la RAI :)) ce ne doare. Vorba nasului Costel, ajuns ingrijorat la locul faptei: "trebuia sa se-ntample asta ca sa ne dam seama ca Irina stie italiana!" Atunci am ras.


Dupa verificari la piciorul suspect timp in care injuram intens pe si de saraca mama a salvamontistului si-n general orice-mi intra in vizor - in mare parte schiuri si clapari din directia carora se auzea "is she allright? avete bisogno di aiuto? did anyone call the banana? (adica targa)" - se decide ca nu pot merge pe picioare pana la telecabina si ca voi face coborarea vietii mele, atarnata pe targa intre doi minunati schori salvamontisti, pana jos, la baza muntelui. Adica cam10 minute interminabile (nu stiu exact ca am cedat la un moment dat) in care m-am tinut de targa pana nu mi-am mai simtit mainile - in fine si din cauza frigului. 10 minute incepute pe "all is full of love" cantat in cap, cu ochii mari la crestele si varfurile brazilor, la cerul ala limpede de ger, la cabinele cu turisti care urcau; apoi teleschiul, iar telecabinele, apoi un drum prin padure, niste schiori curiosi, apoi ups! o galeata de zapada pe fata - ca bravii mei schiori franau si virau cu mine-n carca pentru binele nostru :); ups, o denivelare de m-am intors vreo 90 de grade intre cei doi, ceea ce mi-a reamintit sa injur si la scurt timp sa ma rog in fel si chip sa se termine; dar nu ajunsesem nici macar la jumatatea drumului, coboram in viteza si muream de frig si de frica, imi inghetase zapada pe fata, strangeam din gene si ele intepau. Dupa asta am pierdut sirul, nu mai stiam sub ce teleferic suntem, nici cat mai e, da-mi aminteam perfect versurile de la "for whom the bell tolls"

Dupa alte cateva masti faciale cu zapada si intoarceri cu targa demne de triplu-lutz-urile din patinaj, ajung la caldura, in ambulanta unde un asistent imi da jos zapada de pe fatza si ma felicita pentru conversatia spumoasa (asa fac io cand mi-e frica) si apoi la spital.


De pe targa pe masa, jos textila si armatura (claparii ies cel mai greu din piciorul deja umflat) si da-i investigatii cu urlete si proteste monosilabice, si eu si doctoru’ complet lost in translation. Piciorul se verifica cu blandete si-apoi se inoada in cateva sensuri pentru stabilirea pagubelor. La aparate Dr. Giacomo Barbalace dupa cum zice ecusonul, drept pentru care pufnesc. Hai ca ma tin bine!


Dupa cam o ora de radiografii si RMN se insinueaza un diagnostic de fractura dar nu se iau masuri importante in afara unui bandaj elastic. Sunt retrogradata la scaun cu rotile si-apoi la carje si trimisa acasa cu reteta de painkiller si rugamintea de a reveni a doua zi pentru tratament allinclusive. RMN-ul nu-si dezvaluie tainele imediat si, fiind eu un oaspete de seara al spitalului, plec fara un diagnostic clar. Revin a doua zi dupa o seara complicata inceputa cu urcatul celor aproximativ 40 de trepte, inguste de 1 metru si inghetate, asternute in cel mai pur si logic stil de arhitectura montana de la locul maxim pana unde putea urca masina si pana la usa pensiunii unde eram cazati.


Ideea e ca un picior umflat si dureros care trebuie tinut intins perfect iti cam anuleaza placutul obicei al urcatului scarilor, operatiunea necesitand 10 minute de analiza, discutii, vaicareli si lacrimi mandre pana la gasirea solutiei: “da-le dracului de carje, ca n-ai forta-n maini nici sa mergi. Te car eu!” Asa ca, pe intuneric si printre nameti cat mine, am urcat culoarul de scari in bratele iubitului meu, intr-o pozitie demna de o fosta balerina de scoala primara :) Semispagat-ul in aer cu piciorul sustinut intr-o mana intra de atunci printre schemele obligatorii din patinajul artistic.


Ala a fost momentul in care am realizat cat de greu urma sa fie si cat de bine graia baiatul ala care pe langa “wear sunscreen” zicea ceva si de “be kind to your knees/ you’ll mis them when they’re gone”. Ceva ce n-am inteles decat pe 5 ianuarie 2010. Dupa urcatul scarilor, care dura, in medie, vreo 8-10 minute, am stabilit rand pe rand recorduri si la probele: “dus la baie” – 10 minute, imbracat pentru stat in casa - 15 minute, imbracat pentru iesit afara - 20 spre 25, somn – 4-5 ore cu pauze, etc.


A doua zi a fost si aia cu diagnosticul final (fractura platou tibial extern cu intindere ligamente colaterale si hemartroza), cu punctia pentru scoaterea lichidului adunat la genunchi (devenise saracul un fel de ticking bomb), cu gipsul (ceva fitzos, dintr-o rasina acoperita cu mult bandaj elastic) si – de departe cel mai horror moment- prima mea injectie in burta (util daca nu vrei complicatii cu tromboze si vene blocate, dar de vis pentru o iubitoare de ace) pe care urma sa mi-o autoadministrez prĂȘt de 30 de zile, in fiecare zi de atunci incolo. Inutil sa povestesc cu cata naturalete mi se explicau grozaveniile astea, eu insistand mai in italiana mai in engleza ca n-am ioc de experienta la fracturi. Sincere felicitari, zice Dr. Barbalace! Si cam atat.


Drept consolare, cam la vremea injectiei, din salonul alaturat rasuna urletele unei alte domnisoare … o fractura de femur de toata frumusetea care ma arunca pe mine intr-un derizoriu de tot orgoliul ranit. Zic multumesc si ma recunosc norocoasa inclusiv la sugestia asistentei medicale Martina, altfel toata un zambet si-o-ncurajare, dar cam depasita de situatia din cealalta camera. Busy day in statiunea de ski.


Parasesc astfel scena principala si ajung in carucior cu rotile, la triaj la semnat fisa de externare unde ne-o luam, consortul si cu mine, intr-un mare fel. Cum numai o companie de asigurari ti-o poate servi… Pe scurt, caci povestea merita o dezvoltare separata, platim toate serviciile medicale golindu-ne cardurile si (in)jurand razbunare!


Ne mai ramaneau trei zile pline de stat (si nimic mai mult) cu piciorul sus, la gheata (care se gasea gratis pe toate drumurile si balcoanele), in minunatul si frustrantul Livigno, urmate de-un drum de-o zi cu masina pana la Milano si zborul inapoi acasa, unde m-astepta carantina de-o luna etc. Nimic mai simplu. Dar despre asta, in episodul urmator…

Tuesday, 6 November 2007

Customer Care - How I almost got to be treated at Euroclinic

I was talking earlier about how my back hurts. This is how I've tried to solve the problem and didn't manage so far.
Wednesday
Customer Care Lady: Hello! Euroclinic, how can I help you?!
Me (Patient): Good evening. I would like to make an appointment for a Neurological check up, sometimes this week if possible. It is somewhat urgent.
CCL: Unfortunately, I could only schedule you for Monday at 12.00.
Me: Well. Ok. Thank you. I will settle for Monday, then.
CCL: Is it your first time at Euroclinic? What is your name?
Me: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, X-x-x ... x-x-x
(other details are being provided for the initialization of my Euroclinic hospital record)
CCL(summing up): The medical check-up costs 80 RON(around 24 EUR). I have made an appointment for you for Monday, at 12.00 AM with Dr. Petre Oanca

Friday
(another) CCL: Hello. I am calling from Euroclinic for the confirmation of your appointment for Monday at 12.00 with Dr. Petre Oanca
Me: Yes, of course! I confirm the appointment. Thank you for the reminder!
CCL: Thank you! We are looking forward to having you here!
Me: Thank you. I'll be there at 12.00 at noon.

Monday (D-Day) 10.00 AM
CCL: Hello!I am calling from Euroclinic for the confirmation of your appointment for today at 12.00 with Dr. Petre Oanca
Me (amused): Yes I will be there. Thank you for reminding me!
CCL: Thank you. Have a nice day! (and other farewell curtoasy phrases)

Monday (D-Day) 10.40 AM
CCL: Hello!I am calling from Euroclinic. You have an appointment for 12.00 today.
Me: Yes. I will be there. Thank you!
CCL: Actually. the 11.30 appointment has been canceled and we were wondering whether you could come a little earlier.
Me: Well. I would gladly try but I don't think I can make it. It is 10.40 already and it takes more than an hour for me to get to your address. Plus there are some things I have to do before arriving at the clinic for I had scheduled the appointment for 12.00 So the best I can do is to try to come 10 minutes earlier, at around 10 to 12.00 AM. It's the best I can do.
CCL: Well, thank you very much!


Getting ready, it's raining outside, traffic, one short stop at the self banking office to get the money for the check up, traffic, back hurts.

Monday (D-Day) 11.50 Euroclinic hospital reception
Me: Hello ! I have an appointment for 12.00 with Dr Petre Oanca. Could you please tell what floor should I go to?
CCL: We have no appointment for Dr Petre Oanca at 12.00
Me: It is impossible. You made me confirm this appointment twice so far. Please do check up again.
CCL (with disbelief): What is your name?
ME: Xxxxxx
CCL: Oh but you changed your appointment for 11.30. The Doctor is out since you didn't come in time.
Me (seriously pissed): Dear lady. I did not ask for changing of the appointment hour nor did I approve or authorize of any changes. Someone from Euroclinic called me twice today to get my confirmation for 12.00 AM. The hour remained settled. Then you called me again and asked if I could come earlier. my response was negative and I said I would try to get here at 10 to 12.00 not a minute earlier. It seems to me that there has been some miss communication or miss understanding.
CCL (plain and direct): I'm terribly sorry but there is nothing I can do. You should have come earlier. Dr Petre Oanca is not in the hospital anymore. He left at 11.30
Me (suddenly enlightened): Very well. It was my first experience with this hospital. I shall never come here again. Nor shall my friends. Thank you for your time! Good day.

And there I was, in the rain at 12.00 wondering what exactly is wrong with customer care in Romania. Coming to work (late, because I had had an appointment with the "back doctor" and thus had taken some hour off) I stopped to talk about the Euroclinic experience to a colleague. She told me immediately that she wasn't surprised and that one of her friends had to repeat various tests because Euroclinic had mixed the test results of a group of patients and consequently got the wrong diagnosis to every one of them.

I'm puzzled. This is a private hospital. And an expensive clinic that charges one 80 RON only to be looked at by a doctor. With quite an active Customer/Patient relations department. Where did my good old Doc go?

I rescheduled. I'm trying another private clinic this week. My back still hurts. Why do I have to pray for luck and good treatment when I'm open to pay as much as 80 RON per visit at the doctor?