"That's quite enough - you cannot put up with this any longer", declared my friend Irma this morning when I told her of a chronic condition [not my ankle problem] for which I am awaiting tests. "Come with me", she ordered.
And so we trotted over to Pronto Soccorso [Casualty] so that I could be examined and referred to a specialist from there, all on the same day. I must say it would never have occurred to me to do this but Irma assured me that "Everybody does it" and I thought, "Well, I'm a working girl who pays her taxes, so why not?" We waited only an hour or so - of course there was no semblance of a queue - and people kept banging on the closed examination room doors to ask how long they would have to wait and plead old age, having to get back to work or other reasons to be seen first.
What amused me was that, at 1pm precisely, the waiting area just emptied, so only Irma and I were still sitting there, everyone else having decided that their "urgent" conditions were not quite so urgent as lunch!
Half an hour later I had been examined, assured it is nothing serious, given appropriate treatment and a prescription for the medicines I need.
12 comments:
Oh that is such a relief, WL. What a caring, practical friend Irma is. Now you can relax more and that ankle can mend. Love to Simi too!
There you go. Sometimes it takes someone who knows how the system really works to get some action. Sounds like a very USA thing to do from what I read.
I hope this will clear up now.
Sometimes lunch can be very "urgent." And in this case it certainly worked to your advantage. Now I know when the best time to go to a walk-in clinic is.
JMB's comment is so right. One must know someone who knows. The greatest problem in this is that one must fit into his or her time frame but that's good practice.
Over here it is impossible to survive without a network of "those in the know". I then return that and my phone and e-mail run hot with "little requests". It's how it works.
Regarding health conditions - sad but true but we must be vigilant as time goes by and I find I can't quite do the things I once did and have to make more careful choices.
My Min is a case in point. 57 years old, went skiing in Switzerland and did his knee in. Was enjoying the mountain top so much he forgot his situation.
I know in your case it is not a matter of that and chronic conditions can flare up under certain conditions.
Hope to goodness you are making a recovery.
Oh poor Welshcakes, you really are in the wars, at present. I do hope you are feeling better, and at least your mind is put at rest after the visit to the hospital.
Whenever I need to have blood tests at the local hospital, I always go at 1pm; as everybody has disappears for lunch, so, no queues.
How are you managing to take Simi walking, re- your ankle problem?
At least with Chloe we don't have a walkies problem, she just dashes in and out as she pleases, runs up and down a weeping birch tree, bops a few frogs and collapses for the rest of the day.
Grand life for a cat at 'Chez Trubes'.
Take care my friend and love to Simi. Chloe sends her love too.
Di.xxx
Bravo WL - glad yo hear you're on the mend. Maybe Irma can sort out the post office and the water as well!
Well Done to Irma..for helping you sort your "chronic condition" out...thats what you needed..some support and someone who knows where to go..I hope that medicines help you, and you make a speedy recovery. Love to you and Simi x
So happy to hear Irma took you in hand and that you were able to be seen quickly and efficiently. Hopefully, you'll be feeling much better very soon.
As jmb says, sometimes it works if you know someone in the system. Yesterday, I phoned the surgeon's office to see if I could get on the cancellation list. His secretary, "guardian of the gate" as I call all secretaries, was very pleasant and we got to chatting a bit. One of the surgeons colleagues is the son of the surgeon who did my first back surgery 22 years ago and I also mentioned how my friend MP and his wife are good friends of mine and how Dr. M did such great work on him in January. I agree it never hurts to butter up the guardian of the gate and let her know who else you know! So now I continue to wait. Here's hoping.
Thank you, Book Owl. Yes, I am lucky in my friends here. Hi, jmb. It is much easier today so I think will be cured soon. Hi, Carla and welcome to my blog. Yes, it worked to my advantage this time! Hi, James. You are right. I just hate asking and not being independent but Irma says I must. You're right about more careful choices health-wise, too. I do appreciate your good wishes. Ciao, Trubes. Yes, everything seems to be happening to me at once! Simi and I are just walking more slowly - she doesn't mind, as long as she can still bark at the motorbikes. Lots of love from us to you and Chloe. Thanks, WW. I think Irma is as exasperated with the PO and water office as I am! Many thanks, Anne, and love from Sicily xx
Hi, Leslie. I already feel better, thanks. I love your "guardian of the gate" appellation for secretaries. Here's hoping you get your situation resolved soon too. xx
That's good to know :-) You know what time to visit if you ever need to go again too ;-)
Yes, good point, cherrypie.
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