Monday, 05, November, 2012
Restless night therefore I didn’t need my Ipod alarm for the
midnight and 6am antibiotic reminders . Got up early to eat breakfast (papaya,
banana and coffee!) and washed all of the dishes from the night before. Luckily
they weren’t coated in grease since we still only have cold water, sponge and a
bar of soap. Off and running at 8:30 to get to the hospital in time for my
visit with McWonderful.
As we zipped down the driveway, we passed the newly
configured stairs at the scene of the accident. I was horrified…six inch
rounds, perhaps three inches wide stuck out at each corner of wood framed
stairs. The flat bit is graveled and seems wide enough to get a firm plant on
it. Without lights, however, it appears just as precarious as the previous
path…one could easily trip over the rounds on either end…but what do I know? I
suggested they place solar lights into the ground on either side.
Ana came along in the hospital clinic for moral support and
checked me in, we plucked numbers from a machine like at the DMV. A large clean
white lobby lined with plastic purple seats, immense pool of water stood
menacingly on the floor beneath the water fountain and patients and staff
loitered at the glass double doors. Exceedingly thin plastic cups lined up
along the clerk’s window. They crinkled loudly as patients and their families
helped themselves to a cool drink. Everyone stared as I took out my sea green
water bottle to refresh myself. Had time to hit the bathroom several times and
noticed it is newly ornamented with a sleek white sink, sufficient changing
table (or perhaps a lanching pad for people with crutches like me!) a soap
dispenser and security handles graced both walls. I am impressed!
Had to go to the back of the room so I could prop my leg up
on the cushy rounds. My appointment was at 9:30 so by 10:40 (encouraged Ana to
leave so she could get her multiple errands done) I was sure I had missed my
name when the assistant barked out from a long list. The clerk (who was the
same woman that surveyed me in the dorm room at the hospital though she didn’t
appear to recognize me, perhaps on purpose) assured me the Dr had just arrived
and I would be called momentarily. Little did I know, when I did line up with
the rest of the hobblers, we were being shuffled into yet another waiting area.
A thin as a rake elderly woman with coke bottle glasses had
fallen and broken her arm. She shouldered a cloth sling but kept removing her
arm from it to gestate wildly, revisiting her crash. She had thunked her head
as well “like this” and told everyone in a small circumference the sad tale. I
had to hear it a few times before I could understand what had transpired. She
had a wild floral print dress that draped around her like a sack. She slid
along with her husband at her side, who sported a massive cowboy hat, to the
next bench to entrance a new audience. The moment someone met her eye, she was
off to the races. She howled and groaned when they put her cast on. We could
hear it through the metal sliding door. Poor thing. Shuffling out, she
blathered on about the newest chapter in the saga-her cast application.
A lot of little boys were in the waiting room as well. One
young man in pressed jeans, as though he were going to church, rolled around on
the hideous pea green bean bag chair, deflated and ineffective. He had a
bandage around two fingers. When I asked him if he broke something he simply
shook his head “no” and refused to respond. Later I heard him crying and
wailing that he “wants to leave, wants to llleeeaaavvveee!!” Saw him depart,
snuffling, holding up his finger that bore a miniscule cut at the tip.
One teen was parked on her mom’s lap, overflowing the space.
They were both reed thin and I had to laugh since it reminded me of Taelor and
I. She loved sitting on my lap even when she was uncomfortably spilling over my
pointy knees.
I was admiring the woman across the way since she had a pair
of metal crutches. Too bad they are so unlike mine, I was considering diverting
her attention and swapping mine for hers. Perhaps she would notice and want
them back so I refrained. Shucks!
Spotted McWonderful as he whisked into Consulta #3. He
called out a few names and occasionally patients, tired of waiting, raced in
before he could belt out the next in line. It is exasperating. As lunchtime
rolled around, patients started speculating whether Dr would leave all of us
unattended and have his meal. Some of the desks were left unattended for no
apparent reason while a line in front of the door became longer and longer. I
was finally attended by McWonderful at 12:10. He told me my foot looks great,
made no mention of the fact that it was sans a gauze bandage. They would remove
the stitches and I had to return at promptly 9am on 21/11 to “shoot” another
x-ray. If all is well, I can begin using my foot. In the meantime I am to start
moving it around and wiggling my toes frequently. Do I have to come back to the
hospital for PT? Yes, he insisted there are no PTs outside of the city. We
shall see about that! McFab promised me the moon so I will hold him to it!
Stitches were a bit resistant but the nurse managed to get
them all out with a bit of excessive pulling…if I didn’t watch, it didn’t hurt
so badly.
While Ana ran to get a few items for the renovation of the
house, I picked up a few things in the pharmacy-conditioner, nail polish
remover, deodorant and a few little banana bars surrounded by chocolate! It was
R$21.30 which always sounds high until I convert it to dollars (half the
amount.)
Snuck next door for a cold guarana (gingerale like pop) and
a package of crackers. Asked the Japanese/Brasilian elder if he had any
chocolate bars, after much scrounging around he droned he was “all out”…drat!
Back home, the work site was a flurry! Jo was sanding to
beat the band in the bedroom, Paulo was plastering over the moldy walls and his
assistant was on scaffolding scraping off the old paint. A light film of
sawdust was everywhere! I nearly slipped on the slick concrete floor in the
kitchen that has been painted over. The other tile floors were fine so I crept
along like an accident waiting to happen.
Solante stopped by to inquire about my foot appointment and
Marquinhos came along to taunt me. The other day when we were discussing
birthdays and dates during our lesson, he asked me my birthday. When I gave him
the year, the spouted out, quick as a wink, then you are 52! So today I asked
him if he likes math. His face lit up like a beacon. Declared he won a prize at
school beating out Beatrice for first place in a math contest. Then I asked him
what he wants to be when he grows up-“a home builder” was his reply. “How about
an Engineer,” I implored.
Matteus and Marquinhos were back at the house again tonight,
jostling each other for position at what I refer to as the “Mr Ed door.” Big
wide double doors are split in the middle, allowing one to open them at the top
on either side or the entire left or right side. Mr Ed was a very cool horse on
a program when I was growing up. I adored that show!
Each of the brothers above claim to be better than the other
at chess. Looks like I will have the both of them for English class tomorrow.
Matteus must have realized his brother Marquinhos was getting the better end of
the bargain by having class with me. The more the merrier!
Took a warmish shower and wrenched the bandage and gauge off
my ankle. Ugly! Getting much better at organizing my stuff in the bathroom to
undress, suds-up, rinse off , dry off and get dressed without bumping my foot
or falling down! Yoga will prove to be much easier in the future, I can balance
on one foot for a V E R Y long time!
Tiao!
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