StareCare and Bruised Toe..

Ingrid is having a stroke of mis-fortunes right now.  However, nothing to affect ET.

Firstly, she got a stye. You know, a little pimple inside the eye socket.  Just that this one is not little.  It was the size of the Rock of Gibraltar.   The upper lid of her right eye is so big, that it hangs down on her entire eye. That means, she now is a one-eyed-jack!!  I do not know what the feminine for jack is!  Not that she is blind, but there is some very profound obstruction of view.  

And then, just last morning we went to Costa Café at Shaati.   Shaati, is ‘the’ place in Muscat. You have to be seen there. Pretending that you are filthy rich and talk like a million is what you spend on a night out.  Pretend, I said!  One does not need any of that. Something interesting about the locals.  One always wonders what they sit and do at these coffee houses.    For hours and hours.  Coffee after coffee.  I think it is rather simple.  If one takes a walk back into the past in this region, it all comes to light.  Past meaning, just 50 years ago.  They  came from different parts of the desert in their camels, sat under a date palm, drank coffee.  Which, I think is a perfectly normal social past time.  That is exactly what they do now too.  Just that the props have changed.   Remove the date palms and construct  a Costa café.  Chase the camels, and bring in the Hummers, and Land Cruisers etc.    See, what I mean! 

Anyway, we were there last morning, as Ingrid loves the beach front there.  Whilst walking around and moving out of Costa, her foot slipped a ledge and she bruised her toe.  Her right toe.  Not any serious damage, but painful. This is something she can do without at this time. So there she is, her eyes swollen and this on her leg.  Poor lady.  Putting up with all this.   

For the Stye, we thought it might be easy to drop by at StarCare.  Yes!  It is run by the people who manage hospice service in the UK.  We just wanted to get an opinion. Walked in there, and it was absolutely nice inside. Very sterile, just as I like it.  I obviously was wrong in my initial judgment.  They even have a coffee shop! 

Ingrid registered herself there.  Even, I did.  Just one more hospital registration card in my wallet.   We were in line to meet the house doctor as an out-patient.  Firstly, Ingrid is called by the nurse. A very pleasant girl/lady.  She said she was creating a profile/file, and did all the intial investigations. .  Blood pressure, Heart rate, allergies, carrots etc… I hate to admit this, but I am liking this place.

The doctor’s first question was, who the patient is.  Maybe he should read the file. I think it says Ms.  Or, did I look like a Ms.  Too?

He casually says,  'It is a stye’

‘What is that?’  Ingrid responds. 

He explains, and then all are calm. But then, he suddenly say, 

‘I hope you are not pregnant?'

It is clearly said in the file that she is, and what kind of a question is that?  The way he said it, put the freight of Moses into us.  We both in unison say, that Ingrid is pregnant. 

‘Ah..ok’ He says.

Now what?

Apparently, that was just a check, before prescribing drugs.  But, if only he would read the damn file!   And not cause our hearts to pop out of our eye sockets! 

He prescribes,

Gentamicin Eye Drops. An  antibiotic that is used for local administration.  So I read.   Not much of an issue. 

 Erythromycin, a serious antibiotic to be taken, which is worrying.  But he assures that it is safe.  And of course some Panadol for the pain.

We got the Gentamicin. That is it!

 Erythromyicin is not available in Oman. Why on earth did that dork prescribe it then?  Anyway, the good news, her stye is healing. So that is it.

Her foot is doing fine too.  ET seems fine too.  All is well.

We are considering moving this project to StarCare.  They seem kind of good.  However, I still think the doctor we consulted needs to go back to medical college.  I am seriously thinking of writing a complain.  He did not use gloves to check her eyes. He does not read the file that the nurse so meticulously made and then prescribes a drug that is not available.   He even said, it was not available in the hospital.  Clearly, the man does not know what is happening in the medical world. 


I will complain!