Doctors, Hospitals and Electrocardiograms...

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After fainting randomly on the bus, as mentioned in my previous blog, I got to experience one of the hospitals here...

The first thing I have to say here is don't worry! I am fine.

Secondly, this is just my impressions, don't get offended please.

Next, I have to say that I was extremely impressed with how thorough the doctor was who I went to see. First of all, two doctors, friends of a friend (an amazingly helpful friend) came to see me at my apartment to take my blood pressure and things like that. Then, the next day, they took me to see a different doctor who examined me properly and gave me instructions to go to the hospital for some tests. So many tests. In the UK they would have told me I was fine and to go home. I realise this may have been a better thing to to than going through all the following, but being in a completely different country I wanted to make sure I was ok!

Now... I don't earn so much money here, and I don't think my insurance would cover many things, therefore I went to one of the cheaper, public hospitals - Clinicas in Sajonia My friend was warning me beforehand that it would not be a nice place and that I shouldn't expect much... and to be honest I was pleasantly surprised. Especially after my hospital experience in Peru.

So yeah, the place was a bit shabby looking, paint peeling off the walls, the wards were open with very little privacy, and there appeared to be a lack of equipment. To take some blood they tied a rubber glove around my arm in order to make my vein stick out... always good.

Then, the doctor who was helping me out, showed me and my friend the chapel at the hospital and introduced us to one of the sisters who worked there. Now, yes, this is me, totally anti-religion, but this little chapel was so calming and so pretty. Like a little sanctuary in the middle of chaos. And yes, I write little chapel, but really it was a grea big room with a giant altar at the front and many colourful statues all around the room. The sister told us how there were 5 nuns left living in the hospital, helping with the patients. She said how the first sisters arrived after the Triple Alliance War (Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay against Paraguay) to open hospitals as there were so few men left in Paraguay after the war (let alone men of high enough education to be doctors) that someone needed to help improve the situation.

I went to the hospital the first time in the afternoon. And the hospital was really quiet. Very quiet indeed. Which leads me on to something that surprised me. Many departments are just open in the mornings... therefore I had to return the next day for the rest of my tests.

When I returned, it was much busier. There were many people queueing to pay for different treatments outside the hospital. People all over the place selling food, newspapers and other things, there even appeared to be a hospital dog. Now a lot of to-ing and fro-ing was necessary in the hospital to get anything done. First you go and wait at the office of the department that you need to visit and get a ticket, then you go with your ticket to the pay desk and the entrance, then you go back with your receipt to the relative department and then wait again and then get your test of treatment of whatever.

So I had one more blood test, and I had to wear an electrocardiograma machine to measure my heart for 24 hours! 24 HOURS! Which meant wearing clothing which could cover it up and not showering... and it is hot here! Not so pleasant... I looked pregnant with this machine under my clothes, so on the plus side, I always got a seat on the bus for this 24 hour period. I also had Jose spoiling me all the time too. 😊

All in all this cost me about 230,000 guaranis with a discount (about £30) which to those of you back home won't sound much. You have to bear in mind that the minimum monthly salary here is 1,200,000 guaranis. So it is a high precentage of that wage, and this is only for a few tests... nothing major, which I expect would not be affordable for many people here.

So now I am awaiting my results... Which means two more trips to the hospital... Excellent!

I'm sure all will be fine.

Don't worry! 😊

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