Thursday, July 02, 2009

Doctor Appointment - Going Solo

Back to the doctor again today, this was my first solo trip. My knight in medical armor, Laszlo went to the US, leaving me for fend for myself. Knowing this from the last trip, I committed building markers to memory to find my way back, but something went amiss. Knowing I could take a different bus than I had been, which stop was not quite clear. The street the hospital was on just happens to be smack dab in between two stops, so either way was a walk. Success, found the street, found the pharmacy (visual marker), found the guards shack (visual marker), found the bufe (snack bar - visual marker). I was sailing high. No problemo! Walked around the jutting out building, found the building in the back and raced up the stairs. Yahoo! We did not take the elevator the last time because it was not working, but I chanced it this time. Two choices, pressed 1. Get off to enter the wings, but all I see is Cardiology. Run down the stairs, Psychiatry. Perhaps later, but not now. Down the stairs again, ground floor, construction only, nothing else, not even workmen. Perhaps I missed a sign, so up the stairs again. First floor, no. Second floor, same thing. The signs never changed since I was there last. Surely they had time in those five minutes to change things around. We know how sneaky people can be in heatlhcare. Feeling panic at being late for my appointment of 'come any time between 9 and 10 am', I ran out of the building almost assaulting a women in white, with hopes she was a nurse or someone in the know. She did not speak English. I had my doctor's name on my mobile phone calendar, so I showed her. After a smile with a nod of the head, she had me follow her. She took me quite a ways in a different direction, but all of the time, I am thinking she is making a mistake. Then she calls to this elderly man who is wearing shorts and old sandals. She then gestures for me to follow him. He was jabbering to himself before being called upon to be my escort. Perhaps, I was to escort him to the psych unit since I can now find it by myself. Being a trusting soul, I go with him now knowing what a homeless person's puppy feel like. Suddenly, I recognized the building, though it looked similar to the one I had left minutes before. Finally, I could stop reciting fractured Shakespere, Laszlo, Laszlo, where art thou Laszlo? Mr. Mumbles was attempting to use the elevator, but I knew it would take until my next appointment to show up, so I ran up the stairs yet again. I may need that cardiac unit after all. Finally, I found the place I needed to be, took a seat, and waved at the doctor when I saw him, just like I said I would do. I had to sign in with the nurse at the desk who was very forgiving that we could not communicate. The doctor came by and said he would see me in five minutes. He actually did. I was examined, given two more prescriptions and was out in less than an hour. July 21st, we will try this again. I hope my visiual clues are intact for then.

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