Day 17

Giorno diciassette

Italy 2024

I slept in our apartment and Dow didn't really sleep in the hospital. Ho preso un taxi all'ospedale questa mattina.(I took a taxi to the hospital this morning.) We are using our Italian because not a lot of English is spoken there. You can get by in English but things happen faster when using Italian. But the Dr. in the ER spoke English, as did some of the staff.

Taxi back to our apartment. The taxi drivers spoke little English so we conversed in Italian. They complemented me on my Italian which made me happy.

Abbiamo comprato un panino perché ieri non abbiamo mangiato. (We bought a sandwich because yesterday we did not eat.)

Dow took a nap and then in the evening went to Osteria Nova. Great meal as usual.

Hospital events……..

Taxi to hospital and entered emergency waiting area. Crowded. Dow registered and had her first meeting with entrance nurse. Italian medical terms are not in our vocabulary. I use the translator on my phone for that. Away she went in a room and I went back to waiting area. Dow texted me to come in but the door was locked and guarded. She sent a nurse to find me and I was in. In what, a hallway waiting with Dow on wheeled stretcher and waiting. After two more hallways, she would learn that wheeled stretcher would be "her room" for the next 17 hours. She was wheeled into a room with another 5 people. One bagno (bathroom) for the entire floor. You are not assigned a nurse. You remain in the clothes you wore in, including your sneakers. The ER area is mass confusion but organized? The nurses are GREAT! Moved all over - either in hall or in a room with 5 other patients. Screens were there but, rarely used. We would recognized other patients by the clothes they entered the emergency with.

There was a guard by the emergency door. The next thing we know he is a bed in the hallway with an IV. What happened? They were no guards to take his place. So, he is laying on stretcher in the hallway with a pistol strapped to his side. On duty. Can you visualize the potential problems?

One time I was with Dow in a room and very old guy was wheeled in next to Dow and me. I did have a chair (the only one in the room). So later the nurse came in and pulled the curtain around the guy. In a couple minutes he says to me signore per favor, per favor so he hands me a urinal that he has used. I almost drop it but quickly put in on the floor and rush to the bathroom and wash my hands – many times. I go back and it still sitting there. Wave to nurse and and point to the urinal. They took it away. Later we heard noise coming from his bed – what is it? Well, the smell tells you he is farting. Continued for hours. Later he reaches for the urinal the nurse has given him with no curtain. We both rush out of there and quickly move down the hall. We both wash our hands again. Went back after 20 minutes and he resumed expelling air. OMG

Dow was moved out for an ultrasound and then moved back next him. Dow met with doctor and he said that if she left at 2:30am that we would have to see a doctor Friday 20 miles outside Lucca or stay until the morning. She chose the latter even knowing the very old guy is somewhere in the emergency but saves us a trip. We thought Dow would be moved to room (her “room” was the same place she had been all along - on the stretcher) and there would be no room for me. Katia told me to call and I did and she and Andrea gave me a ride to the apartment at 2:45 am. Well, Dow spent the night with 3 normal guys and one very old smelly guy. Curtains were open so she spent the night talking with two Canadians. Had a great conversation with the wife of a man who had fallen off a Vespa. This new friend was a big help to Dow and Dow was a great help to her, They hugged each other when Dow left (her husband had to have more tests maybe they are still there.) They were here with 7 other couples celebrating their 30th but missed the party!!! A few more details tomorrow.

Bella donna

complementary

Scallops

Liver mousse, raw langoustine. pan toast and currant sauce

Tagliolini with black truffles