Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Thank Goodness for the Snake Game!


So, I tripped on the steps Sunday afternoon.  Had hoped my foot was only sprained, but by Monday morning, we figured I needed to have it checked at the clinic/hospital in Montego Bay.
Checked in at 9:45am.
Turns out, one doctor was sick, which left only one doctor to see all of the patients.
Also turns out that Monday was the day the clinic was changing over to a new computer system.
St. Patrick's Day was my lucky day!
At 5:00pm, I was rolled out to the truck by the porter, with my foot in a splint.

What does one do while waiting at the clinic for seven hours, you might ask?
First of all, you must know that the waiting area was a narrow hallway with two restrooms and some offices.  So, in that amount of space, and with time on your hands, you start to get to know the other dozen people waiting with you.

We had an interesting conversation with a postal worker from Kingston.
Listened to a man take his eyesight test at the end of the hallway.  (He passed.)
Learned a lot from a man who was raised in Cuba.
And our favorite incident:  A few hours into the day, a man stepped into the restroom.  Sure enough, just then the nurse came looking for him.  Several people pointed to the restroom.  She quickly knocked on the door and called, "Stop, Mr. Frank!  Stop!"  She needed a urine sample from him.  Alas, too late; he needed to drink some water and try again later.  (Privacy may be overrated.)

As time went on, I counted the vowels and syllables on all of the signage, then tried to make other words using the letters on the signs.  Then it was time to take out Bruce's iPad and play the Snake game; high score:  51.

 
In the end, I got great health care.  I'm thankful that I only needed a splint, not a cast, and it will be removed in only three weeks. 
Navigating the uneven terrain here at the Nest will be a challenge, and there are probably some things I just won't be able to do.  (Can I get down the hill and collect eggs in the coop while using crutches?)
Comic relief at the end of the day:  the orthopedic surgeon asked if I needed him to authorize sick leave from my job...That won't happen, but I have been told that the Lord is allowing this time of recuperation as a Sabbath and to remember that our time here is a marathon, not a sprint. 

I'll have to let myself be on "island time" for a while!

1 comment:

  1. Wish I was there to pick the eggs for you, Maybe I could fly out for some "Island time" :)

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