Saturday, May 31, 2008

And just like that...

May ended as every month is fated to do.

So, while I was worried about the results of my job and finally deciding that it did not matter if I’d done something else than what I already did, yesterday, I took more time that usual for lunch. My car was at the mechanic (service, not repair), I met my wife for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant (since she is still in the detox/eat-right phase) and she took me to the car after that. It was almost 1:30 pm when I got the car and being that I was close to the kids’ school I called my wife to tell her I would pick them up and take them home.

Pinka had a birthday party for one of her classmates, and wanted to go. We had discussed the matter on Thursday and told her that she was not going because we could not take her there, but, I was already there picking her up so she started pressuring (in her own way) and I caved in. I took her to the party. Then, Lexie (the nanny) called me at work. The mother of one of Pinka’s friends had called looking for my wife or for me and left a phone number. I called her and then she told me that Pinka had a small accident when jumping in a trampoline and that resulted in an ankle sprain.

So I forgot anything to do with work and started calling and receiving calls from my wife; trying to find out who was there, what is next and where we were going to take her. We ended at the Hospital del Pr@do; a very old hospital in Tijuana, used to be very good. Every one of us was there; my wife with Mediana (who was at home at the time of the accident), Vicky (in her way from work) and me. Pinka was taken to the hospital by her best friend’s mom.

After waiting 30 minutes, a classmate of Mediana arrived with his mom; he had the same injury, while playing football (futbol, not American football; soccer for Americans) at school. We talked a little while waiting for the doctor to show up. 15 minutes later the doctor arrived, then he got a panic attack because there were so many of us and… the asked us to move to a different exam room. There we went, and another 5 minutes got me to the end of my patience. We left. Usually, it takes 15 minutes for somebody to take care of you (specially when you are in the Emergency Room!!!) so after 45 I was about to hit somebody.

Ok, I did not, because nobody was even there to be hit. Anyway; we go to a different hospital (Ange1es) and what do you know; I took Pinka to the lobby and then returned to the car to park it. By the time I got back she was out for X-Rays! It took us 30 minutes to get out of the hospital, with X-Rays and medicine and an appointment with an orthopedist on Saturday! That is what I called service.

So, we went today to the orthopedist; he had to put a cast on her leg and now she is in crutches. She was really concerned, because she is in the school play (as one of the leading actresses) and though that maybe she was not going to be ready for it; but they will remove the cast and she will leave the crutches in two weeks; so she will have two weeks to recover enough for the school play.

There was something I did not like of this development; and it was that Pinka was rather happy to have a cast on her leg; because she will be popular at school. I am worried by that; this is the third time in the last three years she had something in her health and every time she was happy about how people at school was going to react (positively). Remember I mentioned about how there are no accidents? This situation REALLY worries me.

The results of my job? Well, we were only at 85%; and 99% in the quarter. Better than expected, but I rather failed miserably that having to have one of my girls in an accident again.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a joke? Tell me this is a joke> You just wrote this because you wanted to ruin my Sunday :^)

If it is not a joke - give my best to Pinka. Tell her not to worry. Everything will be fine.

Of course, I am now worried!!! :^)

J.A. said...

Well... no is not. Neither is to ruin your Sunday; bottom line, I think she will be fine. The doctor could not confirm it was a fracture, however he was really sure the ankle should be inmovilized. So, there you go.

She can not dance or play basketball; and we are teaching her how to use the crutches in the stairs (maybe you can give her some tips) but she is doing really good; no pain, just the bother.

Anonymous said...

Well, not to upset you too much but...they told me my cast would only be on for two weeks and it turned into six.

Fortunately (if there is a fortunate side) she doesn't have to dance in the play. And, there aren't that many stairs that she has to deal with at school.

On the flip side - be glad you don't live in England. A visit to the emergency ward there would have taken (a minimum of) two hours before you were even seen. The whole visit would have taken upwards of five hours. I am still amazed at the speed and efficiency of a hospital visit in Mexico! Of course, the kicker is, it is in the private sector!

J.A. said...

Yeah, I have been in public hospitals before and it takes longer. However with my wife working in HR (and in charge of selecting the Major Expenses Medical Insurance) I am not used to wait...

Anonymous said...

listen to will; and in the states, the time increased by about an hour (to be seen) and about 2 hrs. (for the visit total time).

oh, and WITH "health insurance" the bill is anywhere from $200-$300. without? starting at $1,000.

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