Deja Vu

 I felt like I was improving.  I was cooking and eating and even walking a bit around town.  And then things went South again.

I could see that my ancient (over 30 years ago) umbilical hernia seemed to be pooching out a little on one side.  I had abdominal pain.  Over the course of two weeks, this pain became worse and worse.  

In the meantime, a piece of an old filling came off one of my molars.  I needed to see a dentist, but the stomach pain became unbearable.  I didn't want to eat anymore and hardly slept.

I refused to see anyone in this town.  So my neighbor and friend offered to take me to Citta St. Angelo, to a private doctor.  We went.  He said I had appendicitis and gave me a script for a CT scan, but I was told that his hospital would call me with an appointment....whenever.  Oh, and they had no beds.  Pfffft.

We took the script elsewhere and had the scan done the next day.

However, the pain was now constant.  And now I was afraid of having a ruptured appendix and being taken emergently back to the hospital here....the dungeon.  So, my friend offered again to take me to either Pescara or Chieti, since they are about the same distance.  I chose Chieti because they are a "teaching" hospital with the medical school right next door, and because it is a larger city and a modern hospital.

We went there Friday, to the ER.  I was taken in a wheelchair, (the department had their own designated chairs, upholstered in royal blue) vitals were taken and a Covid test done. Then I had to wait outside in the waiting room.  Once again, I waited far too long.  An ambulance arrived and ten minutes later a newborn was crying behind their closed doors.  Another ambulance with 2 men who had been in a motorcycle accident.  Various kids with injuries...one with a cold pack on his face, a little girl cradling her arm.  Both went home.  Finally, my friend inquired at the desk and lo and behold!  The Covid test had been back for a while.  At this point they took me in.  Vitals again.  An IV was put in (and I didn't feel a thing) and history taken.  I was on a gurney now and wheeled out into the hallway.  It appeared to be a busy day in the ER.

Sometime later I was sent for yet another CT scan.  The equipment was state of the art (unlike here in Penne).  Rather than taking a half an hour, rather than holding my breath for a count of 20, the young lady instructed me to hold my breath and before I could even feel the slightest discomfort, she told me to breathe again.  And that was that.  It was done.  (I was asked to hold my breath multiple times in Penne, for a long time...and the machine was noisy.) Davvero? Era piu velocemente!

I was placed back in the hallway and noticing the difference in the surroundings.  Unlike here, the floors weren't missing any pieces, the walls were pristine and white, plenty of light and air conditioning!  However, I have had nothing to eat or drink in nearly 24 hours and no one is telling me anything.

The nurse who put in the IV and a male doctor walk by, stop at me and he palpates my abdomen.  Not a freaking word.

Later, I am taken to see "the doctor" in the exam room...she never leaves her desk but I am given some sort of pain killer and then taken to a "room"....a large room which says "temporary" something on the wall....a holding area...but it is dark and with the pain killer, I was able to get some sleep.

Towards morning, I had to go to the bathroom.  The nurse accompanied me across the hall....thank goodness it was close by, and leads me to the door.  Before I even got halfway in I could see there was blood on the floor and...joy!....a turd sitting on the rim of the toilet!!  I told her.  What I cannot believe is this ER does not have ONE SINGLE housekeeper for the night!!!  You know what?  I'm gonna hold it!

Luckily, I managed to until about 7am when another nurse informed me that the bathroom was clean.

Vitals were taken again.  The gray haired male nurse asked "Inglese?"  "No, sono Americana."  Ahhhh!!  His mother was an American...he was tickled.  I' m guessing it was a WWII romance.

Soon I was wheeled back into the hallway, which, luckily, was much less crowded than it had been the day before.  

It was a surprise to be given a food tray.  It had a chicken breast and something green and a white roll.  However, that had to wait because I was summoned once again to the doctor on duty.  This principessa was arrogant, also did not leave her desk and was very abrupt.  I did hear that I could go home "later."  Whatever the hell?  What is going on?????

Back to the hallway, I texted my husband and friend with that news....What time?  I have no freaking idea.

Chicken breast with mild spices was still warm and very good.  The green was a pile of spinach that I didn't feel like and I tossed the roll into my bag for later, which turned out to be a good move.

At 2pm my friend and my husband arrived and inquired about my discharge.  Suddenly, I had a bottle of something attached to my IV.  I couldn't read it because it was covered in tape.  Then, unexpectedly and I don't know why, I was moved back in the "temporary" room.  This time there was one of those loud and obnoxious old ladies in there.  She didn't like being next to a wall.  Oh....poor thing.  And yet, she continued, nonstop, with her complaining and calls to god. I wanted to strangle her.  Meanwhile, another just as old lady was next to me, giving me pained expressions.  Si, senora, capito.

Once that IV was done, I put my shoes on, sat up as best I could and when the nurse came in I told her I was ready to go and people were waiting for me.  So!  Finally, some action.

I was taken to the doctor....yet another dotoressa....and THIS LADY was NICE!!!  She got up, explained to me that yes, there is a small hernia, but that is not the problem.  No, it is not appendicitis, you have diverticulitis, most likely a latent result of the gall bladder surgery done in March.  I don't need surgery (now).  I need to be on antibiotics, a strict limited diet and take it easy.  White bread, rice, plain pasta, eggs, chicken.  I was given something else for intestinal flora and a pain killer.  Finally!!  Some answers!!!  I started to cry...I was so overwhelmed at that point...frustrated, angry, in the dark.  I told my friend that in the US we would have sued the stinking doctors here for their treatment of me....delaying the surgery for months then doing it, remarking at the amount of bile, and still sending me home for me to come down with pneumonia.  Criminale.

So here I am, again.  Back home!!  It's terribly hot....trying to keep the house cool, cats wanting to be in my lap anyway....agggg.  Percy, Lupo, Missy Tee and Scruff glued to me, following me.  I was given Toradol by the nice doctor before she discharged me, so I have felt fairly well since.  I am on the 5 day semi fast...water, tea, white pasta, white bread, rice.  I might try an egg later but I am so afraid.  This whole situation has to calm down or I will have to have a gastroscopy, which I do NOT want to have. 

That's the scoop.  The countryside in between the towns is spectacularly gorgeous.  Hopefully, I can see the dentist now.