Chaos Again!! Anyone for Back Slapping?! I'm very old now!
on So Now It's Cambodia (Cambodia), 19/Sep/2010 04:14, 34 days ago
I may have written before about the many Basil Fawlty moments we all have here. It's principally a language problem. We have discussed it many times and think there has to be a cultural expectation as well. We don't seem to go along the same lines of logic!Once in Italy I thought I had ordered a coffee and an ice cream but after a long wait I received a coffee flavoured ice cream! My Italian hairdresser (in England) recently enlightened me by saying it was a cultural problem as they don't usually have the two together in Italy.On our way to Bangkok recently we went into the bank and asked them to change some dollars into Thai Baht. This did not go well! In spite of being near to the Thai border, Bangkok being famous and my pointing to a sign that said Thai Baht they didn't understand what I was asking for. Eventually, a smart gentleman came to help and confidently said "ah - you want riels???! (riel is the traditional currency in Cambodia used in markets etc!!!). We did eventually get the Baht.........So last night I phoned the hospital as I was a bit concerned about the crutches I've been using and wondered if they needed checking.Normal0MicrosoftInternetExplorer4/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}First response (after much explaining etc.): no exercise for a week. Second response: you have an appointment next Tuesday! Well I didn't have an appointment next Tuesday, I have one Thursday week. We were going nowhere so they got a doctor. He confidently told me he could help with any surgical problem and neuro surgery and could see me any time if I wanted to make an appointment. Exasperation!So we decided it would be simplest to go in and show them the crutches. This is when the fun really starts! I was attended to by several nurses (to be fair no waiting around) who looked very worried when they saw my red and swollen foot (which I had previously been told was normal). I then saw a very nice lady doctor who laughed a lot and wanted to x ray me and manipulate my foot until I told her to stop as it was already broken! I asked her if she was an orthopedic surgeon and she seemed to say yes. It later turned out she was emergency only and didn't know much about bones! I did manage to persuade her to look at the x rays which were on the computer.She was horrified it had no support and wanted to give me a back slap (still not sure what that is but Alison knew) to support it. She nearly exploded when I told her I'd been swimming! The Thai surgeon had clearly said it would be good for my ankle but she practically threw her eyes up in disbelief.Meanwhile, they did actually get their (Khmer) engineer to check the crutches. He pressed on them a few times and checked the fly nuts and said they were fine. Unfortunately, as there was no one there who spoke good enough English and as I didn't speak good enough Khmer I just couldn't explain what I thought was the problem.The doctor went to her computer and continued pulling faces and talking to herself. I said to Alison - has she got a nurse under the table she's talking to?! She then told me it would take longer to heal as I very old and not a boy! I'm getting a bit fed up with Khmers telling me I'm old!!! The trouble is, they generally look very young and because of the troubles there are not many old people to compare with here.So we waited a while to see if the x rays or back slap would materialise but they then insisted I saw my regular surgeon on Monday morning. Even this was confusing as one of the nurses was convinced it was Sunday when it was Saturday. After resolving which day the doctor was returning from Bangkok we left with no further treatment, a warning to be careful and an appointment for 9.30 Monday morning. Phew!We had booked a taxi to go to Battambang together and had to cancel that. It took three people to sort it out - he just didn't accept that he wasn't needed anymore in spite of profuse apologies and explanations from the brilliant Phillipino staff on reception, myself (in two languages) and finally a porter in Khmer - his final verdict: he's upset!Alison's gone on ahead on the bus as she has important meetings tomorrow. Unfortunately, having made a fuss to go to these meetings they've decided (at short notice of course) to have a grand opening for the new children's ward in Thmar Pouk! So she is really torn as that was a major incentive for accepting her post and a major project she had been involved with and now she can't go. I really wouldn't blame her for canceling the meetings and going anyway. Part of the problem is everywhere is so far apart here: 6 hours to Battambang from PNH, 2 hours to Thmar Pouk from Battambang etc....every journey an adventure!So I'm now going to move to the Kabiki again for at least two nights as they didn't have any downstairs rooms here. One advantage: I like their crepes, chips and (following last night's doctor's advice to eat fish to get calcium) they do lovely fish dishes - so maybe it was meant to be!