No Rest for the Infirm

Most folks who've ever been in a hospital know that it's no place to rest up. Hospitals in Prague are no different. During the day there are long periods of time for naps, but the beginning and end of each day are packed with tests, shots, and poking and prodding. Here's a typical start to my day while I was at Fakultni Nemocnice Motol:

5:30- 6amTemp, blood pressure, 4 vials of blood, small amount for glucose monitor, EKG. 

Then, around 7amBreakfast, usually consisting of a large amount of white bread (a "no-no" for this diabetic), some butter, maybe some jam, and something called "white coffee" which is not coffee. 

Between 8 and 10 amVelke Vizita (Grand Rounds). The head doctor goes around the ward with younger doctors and students, talking about each patient.  Often, they take the opportunity for poking and prodding exactly where you hurt.

Meals are at 7, 12, and 5. Fruit tea (a ghastly beverage) is available at all times). 

Lights out at 11pm - after evening shots, temp, blood pressure, adjustments to IV bags, etc.

Obviously, one needs to go home to get any rest, unless the Red Sox are playing in game six of the World Series on another continent and the game begins at 1am.

Off Chicanery (temporarily)

My younger daughter has always had a way with words (her sister's no slouch either). She's also a librarian, so she reads books with big words, sometimes. Just after I had my emergency surgery (Oct. 3), she called me from Connecticut. Part of the conversation went like this.

Librarian: So, he disemboweled you. 

Me: I guess you could put that way. 

Librarian: You know, I've heard that when pirates got disemboweled they took at least a year off from all chicanery.

 So, I guess I have to swear off all chicanery. 

BTW, a reminder that a full explanation of the health trials and hospital stay can be found at http://viewsfromtheloft.blogspot.com.

Na zdravi

So I was in the surgical post-op ward in the Fakultni Nemocnice Motol (Teaching Hospital at Motol) in Prague. This is one of the five rooms I was in during my three plus weeks in the hospital.

My roommate on my right had a visitor come in. I could tell something was up by the look on the visitor's face. Sure enough, I heard clunk, clunk. I looked over and there were two bottles of Pilsner Urquell on the table next to my roomie's bed. BUT, the visitor had forgotten the opener.

No problem. He went out and asked the staff for one! Doctors and nurses were in and out of the room. No issue. The buddies spent and hour and a half drinking a beer and talking.

Na zdravi (to your health; cheers). Welcome to the Czech Republic.