May 21, 2008
After 2-3 days of running a fever (Friday - Sunday), and then diarrhea starting after the fever broke, John decided to pay a visit to the doctor for some lab work today. John's been religiously consulting our copy of "Where There Is No Doctor" as his symptoms changed. So we thought, no problem, a doctors visit is cheap insurance, we'd get the results, get some drugs, and go home. We got to the recommended clinic at 10 AM and the recommended doctor ordered up lab work for everything under the sun (including HIV, hepatitis, cholesterol, liver, you name it) before going in to deliver a baby by C-section (we assume, because he said surgery, and an hour later there was a newborn). After finding out that said blood/urine/stool lab work cost $60 I made a quick trip to the ATM machine to get more money for the doctor's exam (another $50). Finally at 2 PM the lab work came back and the doctor took us into his office. Everything was excellent except for some pesky amoebas that appear to be the cause of the problem. But instead of a prescription the doctor told John he needed to stay in the "hospital" for 48 hours to be on an IV for rehydration and an antibiotic for the intestinal infection. So before we knew it they had John taking a shower, getting into hospital pajamas, into bed, and then hooked up to an IV.
We heard this is the best doctor in town so John is in good hands, and of course we want anything serious to be completely eradicated. But we certainly weren't expecting this, and [I'm updating this a month later] it turned out to be overkill. He had a private room with its own bathroom, A/C and a small TV with channels in English. There's even (oh joy) another bed in case I want to sleep over with him. But it's a little depressing to look at. At the moment I'll be content to return home to Ziggy in the evening.
http://picasaweb.google.com/svnakia/ClinicaViteri
Since, except for the diarrhea, he seemed to be getting better, this is one of those "not good" cruising experiences. But we'll keep our fingers crossed that it all turns out for the best, and at least it isn't anything terribly serious. [He was fine, and nothing further was done at the follow up visit. Total cost was $290.]
I'm off for a late afternoon hospital visit to take him things like his Gameboy and ear plugs (for the roosters next door and the newborn baby downstairs in the nursery).
Linda
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