Health care happenings...

Bocsánat, de megírtam ezt a kis szösszenetet és nagyon hosszú lett. Egyszerűen nincs energiám lefordítani, ne haragudjatok. De holnap reggeltől a kórházban leledzem és várakozok, úgyhogy nyugodtan hívjatok és mesélek! :)

When you are expecting, going to the different examinations is like a sociological study. You can learn a lot about people by making observations in the waiting room. If you haven't lived outside the States or another "western country", you have no idea about the style and the red tape involved in health care here. I remember what it was like to be an expectant mom in the States: smiling nurses, carpet and soft music in the waiting area, everything about courtesy and convenience (and money, of course). Seems unreal now! :)) Please don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the provision we get here. I am glad we don't live in a country where I would have to give birth in a bush. There are good doctors, nurses, hospitals, ultrasound machines, etc. And if you use the state and not the private system, it's all free (mind you, we pay huge amounts of taxes for this!). Yet it's sometimes hard to focus on the joy of expecting a baby when you are treated like you have some serious illness, have to go through 35 exams, ultrasounds, blood tests, wait a lot to get a paper to go to the next place where you get another paper, etc. And for some reason, the hospital in our town is even worse in this regard than other ones in Hungary.

Anyway, I wanted to write about my experiences on Monday, when I went to the hospital for a check-up (they monitor the baby's heartbeat and movements with a machine: it was all fine!!!) I told Matthew about these things when I came home and he said they would make a good blog entry. So here we go.

Scene One: I am hooked on the monitor, listening to the baby's heartbeat (you can't ever get tired of this!!! :). Meanwhile another mom is being examined. I don't see her, but I can't help overhearing some things. She tells the doctor that this is her seventh pregnancy. Wow! It is very unusual in our country to have a big family like that. She is called by her married name so I assume it's one big happy family.

Scene Two: I am walking towards the ultrasound room, which is right next to the ear-nose-throat specialist. I hear a little child screaming like crazy. I feel really bad for her, thinking she just had something done to her ear and is in great pain. However, when I get there, I realize that it is not a little child but a girl of about 9-10 years in the waiting area for the ultrasound. She is the one yelling like crazy, while she is surrounded by three adults (dad, aunt and grandma I figure), who don't seem to mind the noise and have no intentions of taking her away or doing anything. In a few minutes, her mom (I assume) comes out of the ultrasound, the girl calms down immediately and they all leave. What?? She was pitching a fit for her Mama to come out!!!

Scene Three: I sit down to wait for my ultrasound. Next to me is the mother of seven and her husband. We start chatting. She goes in and from what the guy tells me it soon turns out that this is not one big happy family. He refers to her as his girlfriend and tells me that they're expecting their first baby. What?? Well, yes, both of them have more children from other relationships. OK, I didn't grow up in a bubble, I understand that this happens. Then he asks me: "Did you see the woman who was in before?" (the one for whom the girl was yelling). I say, yes, why? "Well, she has a kid from me, too!" Oooh, I see! I ask him how many children he has. The answer is: 16!!!! Whooa! I am not sure if this is polite at this point but so far he volunteered all the information and made me curious, so I ask, "Uhm, well, but they're not from the same woman, uhm, are they?" He looks at me with a face I can't call proud but more full of regret and says: "No, they are from 9 different women!" No comment. Curtain.

Scene Four: I am in the ultrasound room. I had had this specialist before. He is not rude, but he is always distant, always impersonal, always in a rush, and when he is looking at OUR BEAUTIFUL BABY on the screen, he might as well be a farmer examining a cucumber on the field. I know he sees this every day, but still, I think he would make a better farmer than an obstetrician... Anyway, below is kind of a parallel dialogue. We are in the same time frame, him rattling off the numbers to the nurse in a matter of fact voice, me trying to capture those few moments when I can see our baby on the screen. Mind you, I am lying there alone, as per the new regulations, nobody can be present at the exam other than the "patient with the illness," i.e. the expectant mom.

Dr to nurse: BDP 98 millimeters.
Me to baby (not outloud, of course :): Hi, baby!!! I think I saw your hand!!!!
Dr: AC 338 mm.
Me: I saw the heart beating!!! Thank you, Lord!!!
Dr: Aorta and umbilical flow normal.
Me: Bye sweetie!!! See you very soon!!!

Scene Five is yet to come. I will be admitted to the hospital tomorrow morning. After all this I think it makes sense to say: I appreciate your prayers!!! :)