I believe me hubby is a bit stressed these days.  He's working ridiculous hours and trying to juggle two companies and it's getting to him.  He booked an appointment for me today.  I left work early, drove to the train station, took the train to the city, walked 15 minutes to the office, only to be told my appointment was booked for tomorrow.  Oh. 

My appointment is with a doctor.  I seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time in doctor's offices, clinics, pharmacies and hospitals in 2014 so far.  I hope it won't be like this all year.  There is a reason Italians out live us and no matter what I professed in the past, it's not the red wine.  It's preventative care.  General practitioners do nothing but prescribe tests and write out "prescriptions" for specialists.  My ordeal started out with funny heart flutters and with family history and all, I went to see my doctor.  He ordered a full blood work-up, a visit with a cardiologist, and a gastroscopic something or another test which I have not yet done because I don't have the time nor do I see the need.  My heart is fine, high cholesterol, no more chocolate or cheese for a while.  Then I had the flu for which I refused to go to the doctor because I didn't want another whole battery of tests.  So I self medicated and survived.  The latest is that I have what I thought was a bladder infection.  But alas not so simple.  Seems it may be a "women's issue" so thus the appointment today, (actually tomorrow), with the specialist in the city.  I can just imagine all this is going to entail.  But here are a couple interesting things.  Had I chosen to see a gynecologist through the national medical plan, the cost would have been 25 euro which is the standard co-pay for a specialist.  I may have had to wait a couple weeks to see one.  Had I chosen to use the private insurance that the school provides, it would have cost 50 euro and I could have seen the doctor next Tuesday.  But as I am very uncomfortable because I have to pee every five minutes I am going as a self pay, the cost is 70 euro and I'll see her tomorrow.  The cost difference is very small because in order to compete with the national health care plan, private doctors keep costs low, as do private clinics and labs.  I can pay privately for a full blood work-up that would cost me hundreds if not thousands in the States for less than $50.  And here's the other interesting point.  It doesn't matter if you go publicly or privately, the doctors are all the same.  Every doctor here is obligated to give so many hours to the public system.  If they wish they can have a private practice on the side.  The only difference is time.  As a private patient, you cut the line.
There are also private clinics and hospitals that are esthetically more pleasing than the public institutions, but the care you get is the same. 

Then yesterday, my colleague in the library got a call just as I was leaving for a hair appointment which left her sobbing on her keyboard.  Her husband was having chest pains and needed to go to the hospital.  The problem was that neither of them speak Italian and didn't know how to go about going to the ER.  So being the heroic person that I am, I moved my hair appointment and took them to the hospital, cause I haven't had enough of medical personnel yet.  I found them a nurse who speaks English and left after about a half an hour.  He had 3 EKGs, 2 rounds of blood tests, and I don't know what else but wasn't released till 1 am with a huge stack of test results proving that he's a healthy as a horse.  Thank God.  As not only a non Italian citizen, but not even a EU citizen, what did it cost him?  Nada, nyet, niente.  Not one red cent. 

On another note, spring is here.  Primulas are everywhere and my forsythia has started to turn.  Yeah!  xxoo me