AUG 15, 17 .. PERSONAL HEALTH UPDATE.. AUGUST 15th

Well, I don’t know who is counting, but this Post will be my 8ooth Post here on the website that I lovingly call Dot.net. When Andrej got me set up here on Dot.net, back in August of 2011, I am not sure either of us knew how it would fare. It looks to me like it has fared very well Thanks To You who are following along with me here. It has been almost, exactly to-the-day, six years ago when I published my first-ever Post, 16 August 2011. Andrej had published four Posts commencing 8 August 2011.

I shall begin my 800th Post with a..

Rhetorical Question : Why is it, physiologically speaking, that washing one’s face, be it with warm or cold water, wakes one up in the morning or greatly refreshes one during the day?

Physiologically speaking, what happens when water and some rubbing of the face serves to bring one to a certain state of heightened alertness?

Well THAT beginning tells you that I am feeling somewhat better, and a lot less full-of-anxiety, than I was feeling when I wrote my morning Post today, Tuesday, the 15th of August 2017.

AUG 15, 17 .. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE .. IRKUTSK ..

As I ended my morning Post today, Deegi was on-her-way to pick-me-up and take me to the SOS Medica Mongolia Clinic, an International Clinic here in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, that specializes in treating foreign patients.

I will begin with a short language lesson.

To name but a few countries, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and we in the United States (with some very few minor exceptions) all use the same basic alphabet.

The problem is that each of these countries arranges their alphabet letters into totally different looking and sounding words.

This applies to the Russian and to the Mongolian languages.

Both use the Cyrillic Alphabets.

So to me, they look the same. When I was in Russia, I could ‘sound out’ Russian words because they looked identical to Mongolian words. The problem is they mean totally different things.

In German we have these words. Gutten Abend. Gutten Morgen. Gutten Tag. Guten Nacht. We look at these words and we can ‘sound them out’ quite easily. BUT, unless you understand the German language, you have no idea of their meaning.

Good late afternoon. Good Morning. Good Day. Good Night.

So even though both the Russians and the Mongolians use the same Cyrillic Alphabets, they CAN NOT UNDERSTAND each other unless the have learned the other’s language.

This IS Germane here. When I walked into the SOS Medica Mongolia Hospital, I was met with the pronouncement that each of the doctors could speak three languages : Mongolian, English and Russian.

Here we go loop-de-loop.

BTW.. All Day.. I was on the phone with Patti. Many times. She was INSIDE OF THE LOOP.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

To some degree, because I..

 DO NOT HAVE ANY FOREIGN MEDICAL INSURANCE..

As I went-through-the-day today, the money-meter inside of my head was working overtime.

The EMERGENCY ROOM (E.R.)

In the U.S., right-up-front, going into and being processed at E.R., will cost in the neighborhood of five thousand (US $5,000) dollars.

The E.R. at SOS Medica Mongolia was somewhat different. I was admitted to, and processed in, at a desk in the front lobby of the Clinic. There were no nurses present. No ‘medical stuff abounded’.

UNLIKE in the U.S., I was attended to immediately. No waiting whatsoever. I have had to wait HOURS in some U.S. Emergency Rooms.

Yes indeed, I had the usual three pages of entry information to complete. Medical history (allergies, problems, operations, current prescribed medications, etc et all), the usual ton of personal information (Do You Have Medical Insurance?), address : I wrote Happy’s English nickname and listed his telephone number. To this day, after 2-years, I have not yet mastered my own very complex Mongolia address. Next-of-kin (Deegi became my next of kin), and on and on and on.

Sound familiar? It was comforting to me to have the intake processing be so similar to our own in the U.S.

Finally.. How may we help you today Sir?

I have a pain in my left, lower abdomen.

UNLIKE in the U.S., a doctor appeared almost immediately. Little to no waiting whatsoever. I have had to wait HOURS in some U.S. Emergency Rooms before seeing a doctor.

Pointing to, and sort of massaging my lower, left abdomen, I said.. “I think I am having an attack of Appendicitis doctor.”

“No. Your appendix is in your lower RIGHT abdominal area.”

He massaged, he poked, and said..

“Your left kidney is the issue here. We will do an ultrasound examination right now.”

UNLIKE in the U.S., my ultrasound examination was conducted instantly, as in immediately.

“It looks to me like your left kidney’s ureter (path) to your bladder is blocked. You may have a kidney stone. I will need a full CT Scan before we proceed further.”

I said, “Should I go back to the U.S.?” .. He said, “Not before I ascertain it is safe for you to fly.”

The CT Scan was.. EXACTLY PRECISELY LIKE IN THE U.S. this was a bit of a trip.

“Sir we have a car, a driver, and a nurse to escort you to a major hospital here in Ulaanbaatar where they will perform your CT Scan.”

At this point, the money-meter-in-my-head began to explode with activity. I wanted to say (I did NOT say it) I can take a bus.

Into a private automobile I entered with a driver and a nurse. “Please fasten your seat belt Sir.”

In about 20-minutes, we arrived at a major, super gigantic hospital. Songdo Hospital Ulaanbattar. Very close to the Blue Sky Hotel and Tower.

Here we go loop-de-loop with the language challenge. Get right with me now.

My nurse got a ticket. We waited. She was seen. Up we went to the 3rd floor. We waited but a few minutes (say ten). I was then summoned into a private room and I was asked the standard questions. Weight / Blood Pressure / Temperature taken etc et all.

Then there was one question that I simply could not get.

“Did I have a Debit.” We went back and we went forth. My mind was thinking money. I pulled out my Debit Card. “No no no.” Finally a lady outside in the  CT Scan Waiting Room overhead this drama. She then came into the romm and said to me, “Do you have a blood sugar problem?”

The word I heard was DEBIT. The word being said was DIABETES. Songdo Hospital in Ulaanbaatar does not speak English. A wonderful patient waiting for her CT Scan did.

An I.V. (for a CT Scan??) was put into my arm.

I had the CT Scan.

Back we went to SOS Medica Mongolia.

“You have a large, egg-sized mass in your left kidney. I will await the Songdo Hospital’s Urologist Formal Report on this.”

My nurse came up to me and said. “We have an empty room with a bed. Please go in and lie down and rest.” I did exactly precisely as she asked me (Ordered me to do). I slept for an hour. In she came. “You may sleep some more.” I did exactly as she asked me to do.

In she came. “I have some hot tea, some cookies and some water for you”. I ate them and I drank the liquids.

The money-meter in my head had long ago exploded.

I settled mentally for ten-thousand US Dollars ($10,ooo) and then let-it-go completely.

Deegi was called. Over to SOS Medica Mongolia she came, with Saina and David to first talk to my Doctor in person and to pick me up.

Doctor? .. “YES. I think that you may want to return to the U.S. for a biopsy and for further exploratory surgery.”

Doctor? .. “The bill?” ..  “See the front desk. It has been a real pleasure Sir.”

For the E.R., the Doctor, the car and driver and my nurse to hold my hand every-step-of-the-way for the CT Scan. For the works. Bed to sleep in. Tea and water and cookies.

TOTAL COST FOR-THE-WORKS.

Seven Hundred and Fourteen U.S. Dollars. (US $714). “Do you take American Express?” .. “Yes we do.” I added a few more Delta Airlines Miles.

Do you? Can you all grasp, what it meant to me to have all the support Deegi gave to me. Then for Saina and David to come along to pick-me-up.

What to do?

“Let’s all of us go to dinner.”

By cell phone, Patti joined us.

Over two years ago, Deegi and Saina introduced me to this wonderful restaurant. A short walk from my apartment.

Looks the same Patti.

Happy. Wow. What a happy human being he is. Dinner was in the process of being served.

Dinner has arrived. Do you see MY Bacon Potato Salad Patti?

My Bacon Potato Salad is basically unchanged.

I caught David in a somewhat pensive moment, at least for him.

A bit of a Dinner-Feast for six (Saina, Deegi, Cindy, David, Happy and myself) in a very nice restaurant cost US $26.84. MY treat of course.

So?

How am I feeling. The pain is still there but of less concern for me mentally. I am Oh So Happy that this health-episode came in time (3 full days before travel) for me to successfully cancel the train trip to Irkutsk at a minimal cost penalty of only US $22.95.

My plans? I plan to return to Hong Kong and then back to the U.S. fairly soon. I am looking at going to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, the ‘Mayo Mother Ship’.

How soon is soon Captain? Time will tell.

Much Joy .. Cap

• ← AUG 14 / 15, 17 .. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE .. IRKUTSK ..
• AUG 16, 17 .. PERSONAL HEALTH UPDATE.. AUGUST 16th →