Not quite broken

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Ah, to travel. To experience new and exciting cultures. To meet people from areas far from home. To discover the joys of medical care?

Yes, your ever faithfull wanderer has successfully made it through the Argentine medical system quite unharmed.

It all started earlier today when I decided to head off on a bike tour of the city. Cruising the streets and having a ball. Then I stop at a red light. The light turns green. I put all I´ve got into the pedal to keep from getting crushed (or crushing) the cars behind me. Alas, halfway through the rotation- BAM! the chain snaps like a twig and my foot slams big toe first into the pavement and jams my leg into the top bar. I was so happy that my bike has a lowered center bar. A truly wonderful engineer thought adead.

So now I start walking back to the hostel. In the heat and just a wee bit pissed, I walk. This is the chain that I just had repaired (and was about to pass along the story later today). I drop my bike at the hostel, and go out for breakfast/lunch. At this point my toe has gone numb but because of hunger I hadn´t really noticed. Not until I came back to the hotel and looked down. Oops. I don´t think my toe is supposed to be that particular shade of purple. So I go to dinner and when I return I call for a doctor. Hospitals are free, but I consider them full of disease, and the doctor coming to your house is but 25 pesos ($8.33US for those keeping count) so i give em a call. The lady arrives looks at my toe and throws me into an ambulancia and away we ride.

A little note for the taller folks. The ambulancias here will not fit you. Please do not develop spinal injuries where you will have to lay flat because you will not fit. and you might feel a bit cramped in their mini wheelchairs- like an airline seat with no leg room.

So with the flat bit of the gurney tilted in the back and my foot in the window off we go. fortunately one of the hostel clerks go with for translation purposes. Oh, the van was clean, except for the slightly bloody body bag in the corner. groovy. Nice solid drivers though. No prob.

The actual hospital was clean (and being cleaned while i was limping down the hallways) and the people were efficient. I limped back down the hall I had been pushed. The interesting thing for this american is still the lack of payment. Everything ,except having the doctor come to the hostel, was free. Xray, bandage, the ride. Too bad really because I was willing to spring for a quart of paint for the outside. and maybe a little touchup on the inside.

I hope I´m not sounding harsh, because I would really just like to say a big ole Muchas Gracias to all involved. I´ll post the xray so you can see my feet (and the lack of a fractura) and send me your sympathy. I could use it. hehehe.

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Comments

[Tot dah!]

Oh, Brian........
You are so special...and your experiences...are even more so... :)