10 de agosto - Surgery Day

We had time to go to the office and work a couple of hours before we left for the clinic to have Rich's knee surgery. He needed to go to the bank before we left, so he planned to be there right at 10:00 when it opened. Then, hopefully there would not be a line and he could be back to the office by 10:30 so we could call a remise and leave. We needed to be there by 11:00. Things were so hectic at the office that we didn't get out of there until 10:50. But knowing how people drive around here, we knew we wouldn't be too late. And we weren't!

We were directed to a tiny, cramped office to check in and pay part of the bill that deals with the clinic and operating room. Paying the doctor would come later. There was only one chair for the patient. I am standing. The doctor came in to greet us and see if Rich was ready for this and if he had a good nights rest. He joked with him and said that the doctor was the one who needed a good nights rest. The young man behind the doctor works at the front desk and speaks English, so he came in to see if he could assist the admitting clerk with any language problems. He could see he was not needed because Rich was doing just fine.

They took us to a room that totally reminded us of the Tooele Clinic on Main Street that we used to go to when we were young, and the old Tooele hospital. We felt we were back in the 1950's or 60's. A nurse came in and disinfected his leg, then wrapped a towel around it and taped it. In the states, don't they do that in the operating room? They came in at noon and wheeled Rich out.

He was gone just one hour and they brought him back to the room. They had me leave the room while they got him in the bed and adjusted. Then the nurse pulled the drapes and turned the lights out and said that he needed to sleep. So I sat in the darkened room and dozed along with him. He was babbling in Spanish asking me what time it was and told me he was sleepy and that he loved me. He said some things that I didn't understand too. He slept for about an hour and then woke up not remembering anything.

I took a sandwich and a banana to eat for lunch, and I am glad I did. There was no food available for purchase. I took my Spanish book to study, and the hymn book to pick out songs for church next week.

Rich was in no pain, but was a little hungry, and pretty soon they brought him some crackers and herb tea to eat. He was in a simple, bare bones room -- no frills.

The doctor came in around 5:00 and told him that the meniscus problem was actually caused by the arthritis in his knee. He said he would have to do exercises that strengthen the muscles in his legs to help keep the knee functioning properly. Our rowing machine at home was wonderful for that. But here the only exercise we get is walking. He said that riding a bicycle or swimming would help. I don't think either of those activities will take place while we are here on our mission. We have no bike, and have no idea where a swimming pool is located.

We asked the doctor about paying the bill for the operation. I had the wad of cash ($2000) in my purse and didn't want to carry it around. He said we could pay him right then, so he wrote us out a receipt. Then he pays himself and his team out of that money. Wow, so different from what we are used to.

This is the apparatus used to call the nurse, all taped up. It hangs over the patient's head. We just had to take a close up shot of it. The digital thermometer thing they used was also taped up like this. That would never fly in the states.

We had to stay until 7:00 and then he was discharged and we took a remise home. We will return on Thursday for a follow up appointment with the doctor.