Visit to the Doctor

January 30, after developing a fever and nasty cough I decided to stay home to rest and see my doctor.  I emailed the school nurse to confirm office hours 3-7.  At just before 3 I walked over to her office to get in the cue and hopefully make my wait shorter.  My Italian is still terrible but I quickly learned that the Doctor was out today and a substitute would be there at 4 not 3.  At this point I was 4th in line and took out my kindle to read and wait outside in the cold January afternoon.

Before too long 3 of the 4 people who arrived prior to me left and a hunched over little old Italian nonna arrived.  She babbled at me in her dialect (which instantly lowers my level of comprehension).  I smiled politely at her and said my classic, "Io no  capisco italiano."  She continued to babble at me a while longer, so I walk away from her.

Finally there was more than 20 people waiting outside in the cold and the doctor arrived.  We all filed into the waiting room.  About half were there to pick up prescriptions and drop of test results, this took over an hours, but I was now the second person in the cue to see the doctor.

As the people who arrived after the 1st person and I discussed who when after who, the little old nonna started to yell at me.  Indicating that I was taking her place.  I tried to explain to her that I was there at 2:42 ( only know because I text Michele to tell him about the substitute doctor).  Finally others including the woman ahead of me convinced her that she was in fact mistaken.  I honestly think she knew this all along but realized that I would take longer because of my limited Italian.  Which in fact was not actually the case, it;s my asthma that made my visit take longer.

After an hour wait out side in the cold, and hour and half wait in the office (w/o heat) and 20 minutes with the doctor I left with 3 prescriptions and walked over to the pharmacy paid 11 euros for all of them (thank you government health care) and a note that instructed me to stay home again tomorrow.  I had to negotiate to get to go back on Wednesday, in hindsight I shouldn't have fought for this, but at the moment I only wanted to get back to my class.

Back to Milan!

We arrived bright and early at MXP, so early that our flight couldn't get to tit's gate.  No idea why this makes a difference but it's Italy so I don't really give it much thought.  We get all our luggage!  And Michele goes to get our car while I wait with our 4 checked bag and 4 carry-ons.  Flying business class has it's draw backs.  Wait, no it doesn't.  After nearly a hour Michele texts me that he's out side.  I make my way out, navigate the over flowing luggage cart to the cross walk.  I manage to get across the street and am turning up the ramp when.  Thud!  The luggage cart tumbles over in slow motion.  Michele is running towards me but alas half the luggage falls of.  We pick it up and hurry over to load up the car.  Have I mentioned it is freezing cold and everything is covered in a beautiful, cold layer of ice.  Everything, the trees, the cars and the roads.

We take the nearly hour long drive very slowly because they don't really salt or sand here and plowing, forget about it.  Finally we arrive home.  Get all our luggage in and collapse in our bed.  We're 12 hours off our sleep schedule, but Hawaii was totally worth it.  Thank goodness we have tomorrow off as well!