Well, I decided to go to the hospital while he was still out to dinner. I didn't want him taking me because 1. He doesn't speak Spanish, Meghan does 2. He doesn't know how to get around San Juan, Meghan does 3. I adore Meghan whereas I couldn't stand the thought of having my houseguest hanging around awkwardly for the next 7 hours, particularly since he's a casual enough friend that even being in my PJs around him feels weird, much less being that vulnerable in the hospital.
Basically this is someone I'm cool going drinking with every once in a while, but not so much weeklong houseguest or entrusting myself to his care last night.
Also, he is sleeping in my room and I'm on the guest room futon because he is too tall for the futon, and whatever deodorant/body spray he uses has totally suffused my room and I'mma have to air it out all afternoon tomorrow after he leaves. That's forgivable, BUT just now I went to take a much-needed shower and found he'd left "personal hairs" ALL OVER my bar of soap. EW. NO. NOT OK. NOT BY ANYBODY. LEAVE MY HOUSE NOW. Wtf, who *does* that?
It may be time to say "Hey, I've got pneumonia, I know this sucks but you need to find somewhere else to stay until your trip is over." Yes, kind of a douche move, might possibly end the friendship but sounds like you're not crazy about this guy anyway, and if he actually is a friend he'll understand.
I'm glad you are sympathetic. I feel really bad, like maybe I should have just set boundaries in the first place and been firm that 3 or 4 days was the max. But it takes the entire day to get here from the West Coast so short visits aren't worth it.
No more houseguests until July, anyway, at least none planned yet, and I am ready for a break. I've had houseguests almost nonstop this year and I need a break.
I remember shivering in ER and the fact that no one speaks English. (I think our small golden haired child caused them to forgive the fact we didn't know more than a few words of Spanish, but it also caused them to--in an attempt to be kind--put us in a more private room that was even colder.)
I was thinking about you guys and wondering which ER you went to. I did not get a private room! I think I was a pretty good patient (compared to many of the other yellow ward patients and their various bodily emissions and incoherent yelling) but I lack the advantage of being a small golden-haired child!
I would like to kick that nurse in the vagina. Considering how bilingual the island is, I'm surprised she didn't know English, and being offended? WTF?!?!
Hmm, wondering if PR needs English-speaking nurses....oh wait, I don't know Spanish. Dammit.
Right? Like, MAYBE AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING TRIAGE NURSE IS A GOOD IDEA.
She also wrote down "yes" to "ever had a blood transfusion" when the clear answer Meghan and I both gave was "no," which is the same in both languages, and got huffy when Meghan reviewed the form while she was out of the room and pointed out the error. "Well, I ASKED you." Yeah, and you wrote down the wrong answer. What other wrong answers have you written down when triaging ER patients?
Now I understand the extreme distrust that my ex and many Puerto Ricans have of western medicine. I can only hope that they treat their own better than they treated you.
Oh, it's a nightmare. A couple of the clerks had babies while here. Their stories made my skin crawl. I had to call around to find out where to go - this was the "second best ER in San Juan" - because there are so many hospitals you want to absolutely avoid. Which is to say, I'm not sure it's a lot better to be Puerto Rican.
Other than the triage nurse, everyone else was fine, even if my doctor and the xray tech were the only English speakers.
I know what you mean about the houseguest thing - there are lots of people I like just fine but don't want to live with. Especially not when seriously sick!
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Basically this is someone I'm cool going drinking with every once in a while, but not so much weeklong houseguest or entrusting myself to his care last night.
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Argh also to having a houseguest with whom you have little chemistry. At least he's leaving pretty soon.
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No more houseguests until July, anyway, at least none planned yet, and I am ready for a break. I've had houseguests almost nonstop this year and I need a break.
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Hmm, wondering if PR needs English-speaking nurses....oh wait, I don't know Spanish. Dammit.
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She also wrote down "yes" to "ever had a blood transfusion" when the clear answer Meghan and I both gave was "no," which is the same in both languages, and got huffy when Meghan reviewed the form while she was out of the room and pointed out the error. "Well, I ASKED you." Yeah, and you wrote down the wrong answer. What other wrong answers have you written down when triaging ER patients?
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Other than the triage nurse, everyone else was fine, even if my doctor and the xray tech were the only English speakers.
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I know what you mean about the houseguest thing - there are lots of people I like just fine but don't want to live with. Especially not when seriously sick!
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