Since forever, I have basically been a walking medical problem--between my allergies, asthma, back issues, migraines and sensitive skin, traveling can appear to be especially cumbersome sometimes. I arrived to Spain with all of my necessary meds (supply of 6 months), basically the equivalent of a small pharmacy, and made sure to tell my señora about some of my issues, especially with detergent. However, despite my preemptive efforts, two weeks ago, my skin kind of freaked out due to a still unknown cause (hypotheses include having dirty sheets/clothes, since laundry isn't exactly a weekly thing here), and it progressed into a little bit of a monster.
Last Tuesday, I took it upon myself to go to Medicur, our clinic for all medical problems, and basically demanded to get a prescription for Bactroban since I thought it was bacteria-oriented. I also managed to figure out how to get to the clinic by myself, and it is always nice to learn a new part of Sevilla. And I will say it can kind of be nerve wracking to go to a clinic by yourself where they don't speak English. But after marching in, giving over my passport/insurance info, I saw the doctor within 5 minutes and was able to effectively explain to him what I thought was my problem. Then I went to the pharmacy next door and got both of the medications immediately! It was very impressive how quick this venture was and definitely gave me a boost of confidence when it comes to medical ordeals in Spain. A boost of confidence that ultimately sent me back to the clinic a few days later...
Although I was confident I had correctly diagnosed my current rash, I was wrong. After two more days of extreme itching and the appearance of leprosy on my neck, I realized that I needed to return. This time, I went to talk to our program coordinator who had our other advisor meet me. I did most of it on my own again with the new doctor, explaining the rash, but it was nice to have someone there who could help me with any translation. Basically it was determined that I had an allergic reaction to something, and I was sent away with more meds. Another thing about having to deal with medical problems abroad is that the prescription equivalents can make you feel a little unnerved, especially since there is no FDA here. But after some research, I realized I received prednisone, which is guaranteed to clean this mess up. So here I am now, after two successful and confidence-boosting trips to the clinic and 4 Spanish prescriptions healing right up! So I have no excuse not to give credit to the Spanish medical system now!
You might wonder why I decided to post about this personal experience, but I can assure you there is a true purpose. In my moment of vanity with this post, I will say that I have always prided myself with my ability to problem solve and take charge independently--things I COMPLETELY attribute to my parents and their childrearing (thanks Mom and Dad!) as well as Leaders' Club with the YMCA. And when opportunities arrive in real life for me to exercise these traits, it really makes me proud of myself for handling the situation. And for being a grown up in some ways. Here in Spain, where some days can be quite tougher than others and ultimately lost in translation, it is nice to have little successes to round out my abroad experience, especially when they involve various aspects of life
So as I trek through month 2 of living in Spain, already with a bunch of adventures under my belt, here's to being young, growing up and experiencing Spain in new ways!
No comments:
Post a Comment