Still Making Housecalls!

Perhaps only Americans will truly appreciate what happened here a few weeks ago (that I forgot to blog about). It was like a scene out of Little House on the Prairie! The Italians may not be so surprised, but I mention it because it is one of the wonderful things about the Italian Healthcare system. Mostly, people complain about the state of healthcare here, but that is understandable because it has always been available for next to nothing. Things are changing (as in you have to pay for things now, but not everything and when you do it costs about the same as what you would pay with insurance on the day of the visit in the States).

One night about a month ago, my husband had terrible stomach cramps after dinner. They continued until he went to bed. Poor guy, he was literally moaning in pain from his side of the bed. I told him to go to the bathroom, the only place where problems like these get solved. So that is where he spent most of the night.

He was miserable and erupting at both ends. Finally he said he couldn't take it anymore. He was scared it would never end. He decided to call the hospital. He told them his condition was not life threatening but he didn't know what else to do.

They told him to call the Guardia Medica. You do that and within a few minutes the doctor calls you back. He asked a series of questions and when he understood the problem he asked if husband could come to his office. Husband said he was not able to drive (for fear of another acopalypse) and besides that, I couldn't take him because our young daughter was sleeping.

Ok, he said.

Then HE came to OUR HOUSE. Yes, at 5:00 am this kind man came to our humble apartment and gave my husband a big fat shot in the behind and left him a pack of immodium.

I felt so grateful and husband finally got some sleep. He snoozed like a baby until noon.

They do House Calls Here

The other night Sweetie started feeling nasty a couple of hours after dinner. Cramps, general nastiness. He declared he was going to bed without further ado. Unlike him.

I decided to stay up and watch some netflix when I heard a moan from the other room. I muted the tv and heard it again. It was Sweetie.

I ask him what's going on. He says he's cold, that his stomach is killing him. I tell him to go to the bathroom (where these problems have some chance of getting resolved). He tells me he doesn't think he can make it.

Strange.

Then it all begins: the noises and gurgles that make you wonder if you should stay or leave him in peace. You can imagine.

So this goes on and on and on for some time.

Then he feels better.

Then it starts again.

And again.

And again.

Then he decides he wants to die, or call the Emergency number (118). This is where things get interesting. He tells them it is not life-threatening but he doesn't know what to do (I am in bed by this time, but keeping alert all the same, resting up for what will surely be a busier day for me than for him). They take the info and say a doctor will call him back.

The doctor calls back in about ten minutes. He tells his story. The doctor says it sounds like the virus that has been going around and hit a peak last month. He asks if he can get to a pharmacy. Sweetie says no since he's erupting at both ends and the daughter is sleeping so having wifey go out is impossible.

So, get this, the doctor comes to our house.

Yes, at 5am. He shows up, talks to husband and gives him a shot in the rump. And like that he feels better, or at least he stops erupting. He goes back to bed and wakes up the next day at about 11.

Amazing. A house call. I thought they only had those on Little House on the Prairie!!