Day 18 11/02/08
November 2nd, 2008
Sunday, day off. I decided to sleep in. About 8:15, there’s a knock on the door. I responded with something intelligent, like, “Mngl?”. The door opened and the cleaning lady walked in. I tried to indicate “could you please come back later?”, and she proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes cleaning the room! Smiled at me, talking in Chinese, and I was lying there in my skivvies under the covers. Exactly what is the proper etiquette in that situation? Strange country. Then again. this is a hospital.
Later, Dr. Bing came by, I think he’s the senior Dr., a really nice guy who speaks more English than the rest. I keep thinking of him as Der. Bingle. He asked me to be ready early the next morning for an X-Ray of my spine. In light of my previous experience, I was all for anything that would help with the next spinal, so I told him I’d be ready. Then I mentioned my ambivalence about having only one more spinal. He readily agreed that an additional spinal would be better. I don’t know why he had the sudden change of heart, but I’m glad we got that settled. I may ask for another.
2 weeks to go, and I’m getting very antsy to leave. I know it’ll go fast, but not fast enough. I’m ready now, thank you. I guess a little improvement has gone to my head.
Aside from the important stuff, like my wife and kids, it’s the little things, like TV, driving, American food. I could go on and on. I don’t know how the expatriates do it.
Went out to dinner with my friends from Canada next door (literally and figuratively) Rena, her son Richard, his wife, and their son, Jake, Clint and his 15 month old son from Missouri, and Debbie, her mother and daughter from Capetown, South Africa. We went to a “hot pot” restaurant. You get a pot of hot broth, and you cook your meat and vegetables in it. It was fantastic, and only $15 per person. How to live in China for just $25 a day.
I haven’t talked much about the weather here. I was told it was like Chicago. Only if Chicago was moved to Georgia. It’s in the 50′s at night, 70′s during the day, basically perfect. Too bad I don’t get out more.
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4 Comments Add your own
1. Richard Callian | November 3rd, 2008 at 5:04 am
Der Bingle, huh? Well, you could try asking him to jazz his way through one chorus of “A Slow Boat to China.”
As for letting a little improvement go to your head, I’m all for it! If you feel good and continue to drive thoughts that make you feel good, what could be bad about that?
As for all this kindness stuff, well, don’t get used to it too much. The usual dose of abuse will be waiting for you when you get back.
2. Deb | November 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 am
They’re already playing Christmas music in the malls…that’s what you have to look forward to when you get home ! I went Christmas shopping today, but really didn’t expect to hear Christmas music. Ha ! Imagine my surprise. Even I think that’s overboard. You have 2 more weeks…you could probably ride in on Santa’s sleigh ! And, when you get back we’ll have a new President. Last night John McCain and Sarah Palin were on Saturday Night Live (the real Sarah, not Tina Fey). Without making any comments on my political position, I do have to say that I admire their sense of humor and their willingness to poke fun at themselves. They asked John what strategy he was going to role out in the next few days in an effort to pull ahead. He said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that one of the strategies he was going to try was the “sorry old Grandpa” strategy where he would play on the fact that Obama has lots of years left to become President and we could elect Obama later, but we should elect McCain now because it’s really is last chance. Then they had Palin in a skit trying to sell “Palin 2012″ T shirts. I gotta say they were really good sports.
Have a great day ! Many hugs…
3. Jeff Crowe | November 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 am
Was the hot pot restaurant in the hotel that’s a few blocks away? Good stuff…we ate there 3 times.
I’m glad to hear you’re getting the spinals instead of IV’s. You’re dead on about the blood brain barrier and the cerebellum. I did find, however, that the IV treatments gave me more of an immediate feeling of “goodness” compared to the spinals, but I think the spinals are “better.”
Oh well, enough rambling for today…..2 more weeks!!!
Talk to you soon,
Jeff
4. melissa tantillo | November 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am
My message will be brief~
Imagine that I am yelling like Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment…GET MY BROTHER THE DAMN SPINAL!!!!!!!!
You are a dyed in the wool New Yorker, be pushy, GET YOUR WAY!!!!! I knew that I should have gone with you, it is not a pretty sight when I am angry and not getting my way!!!
I will assume that your next entry will be full of Chinaman apologies for their mistakes and that they, of course, will be giving you your spinals from now on. Sheeeesh, what do they think they are, American doctors?????
I need to blow off some steam!!! Love you,
Melissa
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