So, a couple of days ago I hurt my back playing badminton. To cut the long story short, I didn't go the stretching exercises and ended up in a looooot of pain.
After convincing myself (and my friend who was telling me to go to the emergency room) I made up my mind that I will be just fine.
I wasn't just fine... The pain got worse that night, and even much worse the next day. I tried to put some medicine my friends gave me (you know, that thingie that you put on your skin and it makes it warmer?), tried to sleep on a special mattress, but nothing really helped, so I decided to go to the doctor on the third day.
In the list of hospitals in Oldenburg, I thought that Pius hospital would be the best choice, because they had a department of Orthopaedics, which I feared would be the place I would end up...
So, that fine morning, I woke up and left home at 10 am.
Pius hospital was in the centre of the city, so I rushed there. Little did I know that the hospital also had a private clinic with the same name. Lol. I spent 20 minutes in that clinic only to find out that was not what I was looking for. Awesome start, right?
then I went to the actual hospital, where the information lady kindly told me to find the emergency room on the second floor to the right... Of course, I got lost, so I had to ask a nurse where the emergency room was. She agreed to take me there, and in 10 minutes I ended up being on the ground floor to the left, where nobody really spoke English. After 15 minutes of miming, I realised that it's just not gonna work, but luckily they found someone who spoke English. I explained to them what my problem was "Поскользнулся, упал. Очнулся - гипс":D
The lady told me that they don't have a necessary doctor for my "special" case and that I had to go to another hospital (Evangelical hospital. I knew about that one, but I just really didn't like its name. That's how shallow I am), and that she can call a cab for me, which will take me there for free.
I thought, well, at least I will have a free ride.
In about 20 minutes the taxi driver came. It was a tall (well, duh, everyone's like a giant here...) middle-aged man who spoke perfect English (unlike the doctors and nurses at the hospital). In a lot of pain, I sat in the car and reached the 3d hospital that day :)
The information-lady told me: first floor, go to the right, then left, then left again, then straight, then left and right at the corner... And I stood there, puzzled: What?!
But luckily, I made it to the emergency room.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear - Emergency Room. EMERGENCY!! Right? Could you explain to me why did I have to wait for a doctor for two and a half hours? 2,5 hours of just sitting there and staring at the wall!!
The first hour wasn't that bad. It hurt a lot, but nothing a former professional athlete couldn't handle.
After I realised that the help is not coming any time soon, I started browsing my iPod to see if there's something interesting there. Luckily I found poems of Paruyr Sevak, my most favourite writer. For some reason I thought that it would be a good idea to read one or two of his poems, you know, to kill the time. It was a bad idea. I ended up reading for 50 minutes and sobbing like a 3-year-old. Why? And please don't tell me that I got all emotional again... It was my first time at the Emergency Room, all by myself, with people who don't speak my language (not even my second or third languages) in a room full of old and strange people... reading Sevak!! I don't want to copy/paste the entire poem, but just to make it clear what I was reading...
...
Ինձ հետ լինի, թե առանց ինձ, իմ բալի՛կս, կմեծանաս,
Իմ օգնությամբ, թե առանց ինձ, դու երբևէ կհասկանաս,
Թե ոնց պիտի ապրել կյանքում, թե ոնց պիտի նայել կյանքին,
Թե աշխարհում ինչն է էժան, թե աշխարհում ինչն է անգին:
Ինքս էլ խրատ կարդացողին ո՛չ հարգում եմ, ո՛չ հանդուրժում,
Տափակ թե սուր քարոզներից ինքս էլ եմ միշտ, տղա՛ս, խորշում:
...
Որոնց կյանքը հեշտ է անցնում – ասես կյա՜նք չէ, այլ խճուղի`
Անխոչընդո՜տ և անարգելք, քանոնի պես հա՜րթ ու ուղիղ.
Դպրոց, հետո ինչ-որ մի ԲՈՒՀ, մի ազդեցիկ զանգահարող,–
Եվ տաք տեղն է ապահովված...
Այդպես ապրել դու չե՜ս կարող:
Չէի ուզի, որ քո կյանքը հարթ խճուղու նման լիներ:
Դու մի՛ անցիր ասֆալտ ճամփով, գերադասի՛ր ճամփա շինել:
Տառապանքից չեն մեռնում, չէ՛, այլ ավելի են պնդանում,–
Ապաքինված սիրտը հետո գալիք ցավը հեշտ է տանում:
Ա՜խ, մի՛ նվա: Հայրդ երբեք չի հանդուրժում նվացողին...
Շատ ավելի լավ է, տղա՛ս, դառն արցունքով աչքըդ ցողիր
Ու քո ճամփան շարունակիր: Թո՛ղ որ լինի նա քարքարոտ,
Բայց քո հոգում եթե լինի բարո՛ւ, լավի՛, սիրո՛ կարոտ,
Դու չե՜ս հոգնի, դու կքայլես. կբարձրանաս դու սարն ի վեր:
Դրա համար ոգի է պետք, դրա համար պետք չեն թևեր:
...
Մի՛ տրտնջա: Դու հիշո՞ւմ ես. «Ձախորդ օրեր... կուգան-կերթան»...
Մի՛ տրտնջա: Եթե լավից ետ ես ընկել` ինքդ հասիր...
Մի՛ տրտնջա, բայց և կյանքը գրքի նման դու մի՛ կարդա,
Գրքի նման` քեզնից հեռու, ինչ-որ օտար մարդկանց մասին...
...
So yeah...
The after 40 more minutes (which completed the 2,5 hours of waiting) a handsome doctor approached the waiting room and asked for "Frau Samvelyan" - screwing up my last name so that no one in the world would guess that's me.
After 20 minutes of examination, he said that my back is fine, just hurt some muscles, and prescribed me some medicine. I was finally free to go.
When I went to the drug store to see if my insurance covers my medicine, I found out that I had to pay it all by myself. I said "fine..." After all, how expansive could a couple of painkillers be?
150 Euros for a @#%&*# painkiller.
I told the salesperson that "I can't afford being healthy right now!"
I started asking her a bunch of questions regarding insurance in general. I told her that at the hospital they told me that they would send me the bill and that I should send the bill to the insurance company, blah, blah, blah... and she said that "that might be a problem" I don't know why she said it. How did she know?
You see, I am used to health-care being free of charge. But I remembered when I was in the states, the doctor appointments were extremely expansive, so thought occurred in my head that I will have to pay 5000 Euro for this stupid 20 minute examination.
"So what, I am just not gonna travel. I won't buy a phone... Maybe I will ask my parents to send me a couple of thousands of Euros... I will have to eat plain rice..."
I don't know why I was thinking all that. I guess I was just tired...
I walked home for 40 minutes, which were by faaar the worst minutes I've had in Oldenburg.
Then I came to my room and wrote an overly-dramatic email to EMMIR asking "How the ^$#@ does this insurance work?"
And then, you know what I did? I actually sat down and read the entire information regarding the insurance we have. It took me more than an hour. You know what I realised? Had I read this earlier, my whole day wouldn't have been such a crap (except for the 2,5 hours at the "Emergency" room).
I read that that's how the insurance of that company works: they just reimburse you after you pay it yourself. So I shouldn't have panicked.
By the end of the day (well, by 7 o'clock, because after that it didn't get pretty (but that's a whole other story)) I learnt that things like this make me a stronger person. I survived this day, although it was very hard going through that alone.
So my tip for the future students abroad would be a) read every information on anything beforehand; and b) don't go to hospitals alone. I would add 3) don't read Sevak, but that's just really a matter of choice.
After convincing myself (and my friend who was telling me to go to the emergency room) I made up my mind that I will be just fine.
I wasn't just fine... The pain got worse that night, and even much worse the next day. I tried to put some medicine my friends gave me (you know, that thingie that you put on your skin and it makes it warmer?), tried to sleep on a special mattress, but nothing really helped, so I decided to go to the doctor on the third day.
In the list of hospitals in Oldenburg, I thought that Pius hospital would be the best choice, because they had a department of Orthopaedics, which I feared would be the place I would end up...
So, that fine morning, I woke up and left home at 10 am.
Pius hospital was in the centre of the city, so I rushed there. Little did I know that the hospital also had a private clinic with the same name. Lol. I spent 20 minutes in that clinic only to find out that was not what I was looking for. Awesome start, right?
then I went to the actual hospital, where the information lady kindly told me to find the emergency room on the second floor to the right... Of course, I got lost, so I had to ask a nurse where the emergency room was. She agreed to take me there, and in 10 minutes I ended up being on the ground floor to the left, where nobody really spoke English. After 15 minutes of miming, I realised that it's just not gonna work, but luckily they found someone who spoke English. I explained to them what my problem was "Поскользнулся, упал. Очнулся - гипс":D
The lady told me that they don't have a necessary doctor for my "special" case and that I had to go to another hospital (Evangelical hospital. I knew about that one, but I just really didn't like its name. That's how shallow I am), and that she can call a cab for me, which will take me there for free.
I thought, well, at least I will have a free ride.
In about 20 minutes the taxi driver came. It was a tall (well, duh, everyone's like a giant here...) middle-aged man who spoke perfect English (unlike the doctors and nurses at the hospital). In a lot of pain, I sat in the car and reached the 3d hospital that day :)
The information-lady told me: first floor, go to the right, then left, then left again, then straight, then left and right at the corner... And I stood there, puzzled: What?!
But luckily, I made it to the emergency room.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear - Emergency Room. EMERGENCY!! Right? Could you explain to me why did I have to wait for a doctor for two and a half hours? 2,5 hours of just sitting there and staring at the wall!!
The first hour wasn't that bad. It hurt a lot, but nothing a former professional athlete couldn't handle.
After I realised that the help is not coming any time soon, I started browsing my iPod to see if there's something interesting there. Luckily I found poems of Paruyr Sevak, my most favourite writer. For some reason I thought that it would be a good idea to read one or two of his poems, you know, to kill the time. It was a bad idea. I ended up reading for 50 minutes and sobbing like a 3-year-old. Why? And please don't tell me that I got all emotional again... It was my first time at the Emergency Room, all by myself, with people who don't speak my language (not even my second or third languages) in a room full of old and strange people... reading Sevak!! I don't want to copy/paste the entire poem, but just to make it clear what I was reading...
...
Ինձ հետ լինի, թե առանց ինձ, իմ բալի՛կս, կմեծանաս,
Իմ օգնությամբ, թե առանց ինձ, դու երբևէ կհասկանաս,
Թե ոնց պիտի ապրել կյանքում, թե ոնց պիտի նայել կյանքին,
Թե աշխարհում ինչն է էժան, թե աշխարհում ինչն է անգին:
Ինքս էլ խրատ կարդացողին ո՛չ հարգում եմ, ո՛չ հանդուրժում,
Տափակ թե սուր քարոզներից ինքս էլ եմ միշտ, տղա՛ս, խորշում:
...
Որոնց կյանքը հեշտ է անցնում – ասես կյա՜նք չէ, այլ խճուղի`
Անխոչընդո՜տ և անարգելք, քանոնի պես հա՜րթ ու ուղիղ.
Դպրոց, հետո ինչ-որ մի ԲՈՒՀ, մի ազդեցիկ զանգահարող,–
Եվ տաք տեղն է ապահովված...
Այդպես ապրել դու չե՜ս կարող:
Չէի ուզի, որ քո կյանքը հարթ խճուղու նման լիներ:
Դու մի՛ անցիր ասֆալտ ճամփով, գերադասի՛ր ճամփա շինել:
Տառապանքից չեն մեռնում, չէ՛, այլ ավելի են պնդանում,–
Ապաքինված սիրտը հետո գալիք ցավը հեշտ է տանում:
Ա՜խ, մի՛ նվա: Հայրդ երբեք չի հանդուրժում նվացողին...
Շատ ավելի լավ է, տղա՛ս, դառն արցունքով աչքըդ ցողիր
Ու քո ճամփան շարունակիր: Թո՛ղ որ լինի նա քարքարոտ,
Բայց քո հոգում եթե լինի բարո՛ւ, լավի՛, սիրո՛ կարոտ,
Դու չե՜ս հոգնի, դու կքայլես. կբարձրանաս դու սարն ի վեր:
Դրա համար ոգի է պետք, դրա համար պետք չեն թևեր:
...
Մի՛ տրտնջա: Դու հիշո՞ւմ ես. «Ձախորդ օրեր... կուգան-կերթան»...
Մի՛ տրտնջա: Եթե լավից ետ ես ընկել` ինքդ հասիր...
Մի՛ տրտնջա, բայց և կյանքը գրքի նման դու մի՛ կարդա,
Գրքի նման` քեզնից հեռու, ինչ-որ օտար մարդկանց մասին...
...
So yeah...
The after 40 more minutes (which completed the 2,5 hours of waiting) a handsome doctor approached the waiting room and asked for "Frau Samvelyan" - screwing up my last name so that no one in the world would guess that's me.
After 20 minutes of examination, he said that my back is fine, just hurt some muscles, and prescribed me some medicine. I was finally free to go.
When I went to the drug store to see if my insurance covers my medicine, I found out that I had to pay it all by myself. I said "fine..." After all, how expansive could a couple of painkillers be?
150 Euros for a @#%&*# painkiller.
I told the salesperson that "I can't afford being healthy right now!"
I started asking her a bunch of questions regarding insurance in general. I told her that at the hospital they told me that they would send me the bill and that I should send the bill to the insurance company, blah, blah, blah... and she said that "that might be a problem" I don't know why she said it. How did she know?
You see, I am used to health-care being free of charge. But I remembered when I was in the states, the doctor appointments were extremely expansive, so thought occurred in my head that I will have to pay 5000 Euro for this stupid 20 minute examination.
"So what, I am just not gonna travel. I won't buy a phone... Maybe I will ask my parents to send me a couple of thousands of Euros... I will have to eat plain rice..."
I don't know why I was thinking all that. I guess I was just tired...
I walked home for 40 minutes, which were by faaar the worst minutes I've had in Oldenburg.
Then I came to my room and wrote an overly-dramatic email to EMMIR asking "How the ^$#@ does this insurance work?"
And then, you know what I did? I actually sat down and read the entire information regarding the insurance we have. It took me more than an hour. You know what I realised? Had I read this earlier, my whole day wouldn't have been such a crap (except for the 2,5 hours at the "Emergency" room).
I read that that's how the insurance of that company works: they just reimburse you after you pay it yourself. So I shouldn't have panicked.
By the end of the day (well, by 7 o'clock, because after that it didn't get pretty (but that's a whole other story)) I learnt that things like this make me a stronger person. I survived this day, although it was very hard going through that alone.
So my tip for the future students abroad would be a) read every information on anything beforehand; and b) don't go to hospitals alone. I would add 3) don't read Sevak, but that's just really a matter of choice.
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