As much as we all like to think that we don’t need to know or travel with health insurance, you never know when you might need it. AKA: Kidney Stones come out of nowhere.
Last week I woke up with a slight pain in my side. Beginning to think back through my diet as well as if I may have held my own in a fight at a bar I came to no conclusions. Thinking it was a fluke, I went back to bed with the hope it would pass. I woke up hours later to find the pain was more prominent and was now in the front bottom of my abdomen as well. I was unable to get comfortable as well as go to the bathroom. Period. After a while of debating my next steps I decided to go to the hospital.
At arrival my pain grew to an unbearable pain. Working through tests, bloodworm and the ability to translate medial terms in Spanish all lead to a 4 day stay in a hospital and a procedure all in a foreign country. I have never been admitted to a hospital but of course I had to do it in Spain no matter the pain.
4 days and a procedure later all I had was a cold and a few embarrassing stories of yet again, language barrier at its finest (Lets just say I undressed for no reason thinking I was asked to be naked for an Xray… at least the Xray tech was attractive). This was something that I don’t recommend, but does have maybe a few positives (if you are a half full type person)
Positive #1: I did got to experience the Spain Healthcare System and I must say it is well organized and efficient. All staff was so helpful and patient with my language (or lack there of…)
Positive #2: The support and love I received from my roommates and fellow co-workers was more than I could have ever expected from people I just met two months ago.
Positive #3: I can do this. In a foreign country, admitted into a hospital, only support of those I have met two months ago= not the best situation I could think or expect during this year abroad.
SoloSploring 